Through generations of selective breeding, distinct genetic lines have emerged in animal athletes. For instance, certain dogs are bred for hunting or agility, while horses are bred for racing or herding cattle. The evolution of today’s bull athlete is no different. Like any athlete, bucking bulls are susceptible to performance-related injuries. They kick high and can change direction on a dime. Such is the case with Mr. Nasty, a bucking bull brought to MSU CVM because of an injury that took him off the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization roster for the season. One of Mr. Nasty’s owners, Blake Sharp of Sharp Bucking Bulls, knew where to take him to get him back on the circuit.
“The vet school is a great place,” said Sharp. “When I come to the MSU vet school, I know they are going to provide great care, and the bulls are going to be comfortable. I know they are in good hands.”
Mr. Nasty was seen for a workup by the large animal veterinarians at the college and was diagnosed with a fracture and joint subluxation. Cathleen Mochal-King was the attending surgeon on his case.
“He had an avulsion fracture of the hock that broke off part of the bone and medial collateral ligament,” Mochal explained. “Usually this would be career-ending; however, I tried something new. I anchored the ligaments to the bone with a screw then injected the ligament with regenerative medicine with platelet-rich plasma."
After the surgery, Mr. Nasty was treated with regenerative therapy, including regular shockwave treatments. While his name sounds like he would be quite a grouch, Mr. Nasty became a sucker for scratches and attention—through his enclosure fence, of course. Following a six-month recovery period, he was back on the PBR roster. He went on to be a bull with some of the best performances for the year. Since his return to the PBR stage in 2023, the longest a rider has stayed on Mr. Nasty was 3.16 seconds. To have a qualified ride in the bull riding event, a contestant must stay on for eight seconds. While riding for eight seconds is important, the ultimate decision maker to where a contestant falls on the leaderboard is based on the scores from four judges. When it comes to judging the bull’s performance, the main criteria are difficulty to ride and movement. The judges consider factors like spin, change of direction, and kicks into the score. Two of those judges score the bull and have a combined score on a scale from zero to 50 points. The other two judges, or in some cases the same judges scoring the bull, also score the rider with a combined score from zero to 50 points. Since Mr. Nasty’s 2023 season, he has had three scores over 44 points, which is quite good. This means two combined scores from the two judges equated to a total of 44 points out of 50. Mr. Nasty qualified for the 2023 PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, and was the only bull to boast four appearances on the dirt.
Bovine sports medicine is beginning to become a more popular practice in veterinary medicine due to the popularity and growth of bull riding and bucking bull futurities. Additionally, the perceived value that owners attribute to these animal athletes has allowed for more thorough veterinary evaluations and treatments. Addressing injuries or diseases in bucking bulls poses distinctive challenges in terms of identification, diagnosis, and treatment. The fractious and occasionally aggressive behavior of these animals can limit the display of pain and lameness, making it difficult to detect minor injuries until they become more severe. The MSU CVM large animal medicine and surgery team is proud of its outcomes for these amazing animal athletes, and the college is honored to be recognized as one of only a few locations trusted to provide bovine athletes outstanding care and reparative surgery.
