Cattle Vaccines

The most common routine vaccines are clostridial, reproductive, and respiratory.  Carriers are added to killed vaccines to increase the immune response.  Oil adjuvant vaccines do not dissipate for about 30 days, create a greater immune response and give longer immunity, but can cause more swelling.  Oil emulsion vaccines are getting better all the time and single shot vaccines are now available that once needed boosters and several are getting an immune response as good as modified live vaccines.  When giving more than one vaccine, give the shots at least 4 inches apart to prevent interference. 

Clostridial - Typically done at 3-4 months of age.

Often called blackleg, clostridial vaccines cover the 7 major clostridial types and some versions extend that coverage to include other pathogens.  Clostridial diseases kill quickly, no more than 2 days, and most producers consider the vaccination a necessity.  The cow's colostrum should give immunity to the calf for the first 2 months.

Reproductive - Typically done just before weaning at 6 months of age.

Reproductive vaccinations usually cover leptospirosis.  Leptospirosis causes infertility, slow breed back, abortions, and births of premature and weak calves.  Hardjo bovis leptospirosis unlike other forms of lepto seems to infect the animal for longer periods and is the cause of most lepto cases in the US, 55% by studies.  Only a few companies have vaccines for hardjo bovis, but more are joining the cause.  It will be a main stay and the cost of vaccination will come down.

Respiratory - Typically done just before weaning at 6 months of age.

Respiratory vaccinations can include BRSV (bovine respiratory syncytial virus), IBR (Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis), BVD (Bovine Virus Diarrhea), and PI3 (Bovine parainfluenza virus-3).  BRD (Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex) or shipping fever, is caused first by a virus (often BRSV, IBR, BVD, PI3) in the upper respiratory tract, damaging the tissue that expel common bacteria, allowing the bacteria (typically Pasteurella Haemolitica, Pasteurella Multicida, Haemophilus Somnus) into the lower respiratory tract resulting in bacterial pneumonia.  Vaccinations for the lower respiratory bacteria are used less often but are available.  BRD occurs during times of stress like weaning or severe weather. 

Many types of vaccines are available and should we not have it in stock, we can have it on location in 2 days.  We typically stock the vaccinations in the list below.  Some of the other more common vaccines are for pinkeye, warts, and tetanus. 

For information on correct injection techniques, please see:www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-59Mj0uNUo