Splinting a calf with contracted tendons involves placing a caudal (back-of-leg) splint over padded bandaging that runs from the hoof to the elbow, holding the leg in a straighter position while the tendons gradually lengthen. Most mild to moderate cases in newborn calves respond well to splinting combined with manual stretching, often resolving within days to a couple of weeks. Severe cases, where the calf is walking on the front of its fetlocks or can’t bear weight at all, may need veterinary intervention beyond what a splint alone can fix.
What Causes Contracted Tendons in Calves
Contracted flexor tendons are one of the most common congenital defects in cattle. The calf is born with one or more legs that won’t fully straighten because the flexor tendons on the back of the leg are too tight. In mild cases the calf walks on its toes. In moderate cases the fetlock knuckles forward noticeably. In severe cases the calf walks on the front of its pastern or can’t stand at all.
The most common cause is simply how the calf was positioned in the uterus, especially in large calves or those carried by heifers with limited space. Nutritional deficiencies in the dam and certain viral infections can also play a role. In Europe, Schmallenberg virus infection during pregnancy has caused widespread cases of arthrogryposis, a more severe form of joint contracture. There’s also a hereditary component in some lines, particularly with conditions like spastic paresis.
The distinction matters because it affects your odds of success. A calf whose tendons are simply too tight from uterine positioning has an excellent prognosis with splinting. A calf with true arthrogryposis, where the limbs cannot be extended even under sedation, cannot be corrected by splinting or even surgical tendon cutting. If you can manually flex the leg toward a normal position with firm, steady pressure, splinting is worth pursuing.
What You Need Before You Start
Gather your materials before restraining the calf. You’ll need:
- Stockinette or cotton padding: This goes directly against the skin to protect it from pressure sores. Rolled cotton or cast padding works well.
- Conforming gauze: Non-elastic brown or white gauze to secure the padding layer.
- A rigid splint: PVC pipe cut in half lengthwise is a common choice. It should be long enough to span from the hoof to the elbow (for forelimbs) or hock (for hindlimbs). Wood, metal, or commercial splint material also works.
- Elastic bandage or vet wrap: To secure the splint in place over the gauze layer.
You’ll also want a clean, dry surface to work on and someone to hold the calf steady.
Step-by-Step Splint Application
Lay the calf on its side with the affected leg accessible. Before applying anything, gently stretch the leg toward its normal position. Don’t force it, but get a feel for how much correction is possible. This tells you where to set the splint.
Start by sliding a stockinette or wrapping cotton padding from the hoof up to at least three inches above where the top of the splint will sit. The padding should be snug with few wrinkles, but not tight enough to compress the tissue. Pay extra attention to bony prominences like the fetlock and the back of the knee or hock, where pressure sores develop fastest. Add an extra layer of padding over these spots.
Next, secure the padding with non-elastic gauze. Apply two to three uniform layers, wrapping firmly enough that the bandage won’t shift, but not so tight that you’re cutting off circulation. Each layer should overlap the previous one by about half its width.
Now position the splint on the back (caudal side) of the leg. For contracted flexor tendons, the splint goes behind the leg because you’re trying to prevent the leg from curling forward. The splint should run from the ground all the way to the elbow on a front leg. This full length is important: a short splint that only covers the cannon bone won’t provide enough leverage to hold the joint in a corrected position.
Secure the splint with elastic bandage or vet wrap, again applying it snugly but not tight. You should be able to slide a finger between the bandage and the padding at the top and bottom of the splint. The finished product should hold the leg in a moderately corrected position. You’re not trying to force the leg perfectly straight on day one. Gradual correction over several days is safer and more effective.
Manual Stretching Between Splint Changes
Splinting works best when combined with regular manual stretching. Each time you change or check the splint, spend a few minutes gently extending the affected joints toward their normal range of motion. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds, release, and repeat three to five times. You can do this two to three times per day if the calf tolerates it.
The goal is steady, sustained pressure rather than quick, forceful movements. Cup one hand around the fetlock and use the other to stabilize the leg above the knee. Push the lower leg gently toward straight, hold, and release. Over the course of several days, you should notice the leg accepting more extension with each session. If you feel no improvement after three or four days of consistent stretching and splinting, the contracture may be more severe than splinting alone can address.
Checking for Pressure Sores and Circulation Problems
A splint that’s too tight or left on too long without checking can cause serious skin damage. Inspect the leg at least once daily, ideally twice. Remove the bandage completely, examine the skin, then reapply.
The earliest sign of a pressure sore is a reddened or discolored patch of skin. On dark-skinned areas, this may look purple, bluish, or unusually shiny, and it often feels warmer or harder than the surrounding tissue. You can test circulation with a simple blanch test: press your finger firmly on the discolored area, then release. Healthy skin will briefly turn white under pressure and return to its normal color within a few seconds. If the area stays white or doesn’t change color at all, blood flow is already compromised.
A stage one pressure sore looks like a persistent red area that doesn’t fade within 30 minutes after the splint is removed. If you catch it at this point, adding extra padding over that spot and slightly loosening the bandage is usually enough. If you see broken skin, pus, a foul smell, or black tissue, the damage is more advanced and the splint needs to come off entirely until the wound heals.
Also watch the hoof and the area below the splint for swelling, coolness, or the calf showing more pain than expected when the foot is touched. These can indicate the bandage is restricting blood flow.
When Splinting Isn’t Enough
Mild cases often resolve within three to seven days of splinting and stretching. Moderate cases may take one to two weeks. But some calves don’t respond, and recognizing this early saves the calf unnecessary suffering.
If you cannot manually straighten the leg at all, even with firm sustained pressure, splinting is unlikely to work. True arthrogryposis produces rigid joint contractures that resist correction even under heavy sedation, and surgical tendon cutting won’t help either because the problem involves the joint capsule itself, not just the tendons.
For calves that fall between mild and hopeless, a veterinarian may recommend oxytetracycline, an antibiotic that has a secondary effect of relaxing contracted tendons in neonatal calves. This is sometimes given as an intravenous infusion alongside splinting. In more severe but still correctable cases, a surgical procedure called a tenotomy (cutting one or both flexor tendons) can release the tension. However, even tenotomy fails when the joint capsule itself has contracted, so your vet will assess the joint’s range of motion before recommending surgery.
Keeping the Calf Comfortable During Recovery
A splinted calf still needs to nurse and move around. Make sure the calf can reach the dam or a bottle without struggling. Bed the area with deep, clean straw so the splinted leg isn’t resting on a hard surface, which accelerates pressure sore development.
Encourage the calf to stand and walk short distances several times a day. Weight-bearing on the leg helps the tendons stretch naturally and stimulates normal limb development. If the calf can’t stand on its own, assist it by supporting its chest and hindquarters, letting it bear as much weight as it can manage on the affected leg.
Change the bandage and splint every one to two days, or sooner if it gets wet or soiled. A wet bandage loses its padding effect and dramatically increases the risk of skin breakdown. Each time you rebandage, you can set the splint at a slightly more corrected angle as the tendons lengthen, gradually working the leg toward its normal position.