Livestock Management
in the mother’s body, which will be passed through the mammary glands in the form of colostrum, creating a fi rst line of immunity for the newborn calf. Pre-calving cow vaccinations can greatly increase
the level of antibodies in the colostrum, but the anti- bodies will only be absorbed by the calf if it ingests the adequate amount of colostrum within the fi rst 6 to 12 hours of life. For pre-calving vaccinations to be effective in trans-
mitting immunity, the pregnant cow must receive the correct dose during the appropriate window of time. Parks emphasises that vaccination timing is imperative to provide maximum protection. “The goal behind pre-calving vaccines is timing the
maternal antibodies that the calf is going to get to peak at the time of colostral genesis,” says Parks.
For pre-calving vaccinations to be effective in transmitting immunity, the pregnant cow must receive the correct dose during the appropriate window of time.
The target is to hit the highest antibody levels pos-
sible at the time that colostrum production begins. By timing vaccinations so that the antibody levels of the cow climax at about 5 to 7 weeks prior to calving, she will be creating maximum immunity colostrum. “We want to stimulate immunity in that cow so
that we reach the highest antibody levels we can when colostrum production starts,” says Parks. Products will vary on the levels of antibodies they
stimulate and the time it may take for the cow to launch a solid immune response. Popular pre-calving vaccines on the market include
ScourGuard®, Scour Bos™ and Guardian®. All of these vaccines include protection against rotavirus, corona- virus, K99
E.coli and Clostridium perfringens type C. Guardian® is the only option that includes immunity to C. perfringens type D. Most products will be given anywhere between 2
and 4 months prior to calving and heifers will receive a booster within 2 to 3 weeks of the original vaccine administration, depending on the product. Keeping in mind the goal of achieving the highest antibody levels at the time of colostral genesis, a peak response can take about 14 to 28 days. Vaccination timing and
58 The Cattleman January 2017
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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