B


EEF CATTLE VACCINES CAN BE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEIR USE becomes more economical once you have helped your herd become immune to the pathogens that


threaten the health of your cattle. Improving vaccine response can result in heathier


cattle and better economic returns from the herd. Due to benefi ts from vaccine response improvement, an in- depth discussion on the subject was led by Larry Hollis, D.V.M., beef cattle health management consultant, at the 2016 Cattle Raisers Convention. The following in- formation was largely taken from Hollis’ presentation. The audience was asked, “Why do we vaccinate?”


There are several reasons and one is to prevent disease in cows and heifers. These are the animals that produce our product and if they don’t deliver a calf every year, ranch income is reduced. Once females are bred, we vaccinate to prevent


pregnancy wastage. We don’t want to lose a calf after spending money on feeding and breeding the cow. Vac- cination helps build a better colostrum supply which is responsible for preventing disease in baby calves. Properly timed vaccinations build better immunity


prior to weaning, usually resulting in heavier and healthier calves. It also prevents disease in calves fol- lowing weaning, which can add value to feeders and herd replacements.


Vaccination success is dependent on


vaccine handling and administration.


We shouldn’t forget to vaccinate the bulls. They cannot perform as expected if they aren’t healthy.


Vaccination success The second question was, “What controls the suc-


cess of vaccination?” Types and quantity of antigens in the product are


important because they are responsible for providing immunity to particular pathogens. Success can depend upon the choice between modi-


fi ed live virus (MLV) vaccines and killed vaccines. They are suited for different management systems, so consult with your veterinarian to learn which type of vaccine is the best choice for your operation. Big-name animal health companies produce qual-


ity vaccines; however, their effectiveness is based on the antigens they contain. Remember that no vaccine provides 100 percent control of the target pathogen, although some perform near that mark.


86 The Cattleman August 2016


thecattlemanmagazine.com


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