Baby Calf Defense

[Bright Raven]

Had my first fall calf this morning. There are a couple steps you can take in the first 24 hours to provide immunity.
1. Inforce 3. An intranasal vaccine of Modified Live Virus that protects against IBR, PI, and BRSV. Bovine Rhinotracheitis-Parainfluenza3- Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus, respectively.
2. First Defense. A bolus capsule. Anyibody protection against K99 E. coli and Coronavirus.

The Inforce 3 came in a 25 individual vial package with intranasal tubes that slide onto the friction fit syringe. I used them for the first time and they are a big improvement over poking the syringe barrel up their nose.

 

[Till-Hill]

See I prefer syringe end over them plastic things!

I only use First Defense in spring. Never had scours in spring but mud/weather makes me nervous! Even tho cows are vac'd with Scour Boss 9 too. Falls get nothing, calve on clean grass/corn stalks!

 

[Bright Raven]

See I prefer syringe end over them plastic things!

I only use First Defense in spring. Never had scours in spring but mud/weather makes me nervous! Even tho cows are vac'd with Scour Boss 9 too. Falls get nothing, calve on clean grass/corn stalks!

I can see the graduations on my syringe with the extension tubes. Since you put 1 mL in each nostril, I can see when I expelled 1 mL so I don't get it all in one nostril.

 

[TCRanch]

First Defense. They still get one even if it's been more than 12 hours. Our spring calving segued into primarily spring, a handful over the summer and a few in the fall/winter so we no longer vaccinate the cows with Scour Boss. First year without vaccinating was a train wreck. Started using FD boluses the next year and I'm a believer. It's a lot easier to pop in a bolus on a newborn than round up the cattle for shots periodically throughout the year.

 

[wbvs58]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

A discussion of the practice of vaccination, worming, etc. would be interesting. There is some professional skepticism as to the benefits of the extent to which American Cattleman vaccinate. I hear you clearly.

 

[angus9259]

I vaccinate the fall calving with scour bos 9 and I've never had a case of scours. That said, I never had a case before I started vaccinated either . I also give the enforce intranasal. I don't use the white extension - just the syringe. I get more in that way. Never had a BVD or IBR at my place either. That said, never had a case before I started vaccinating either...

 

[snoopdog]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

A discussion of the practice of vaccination, worming, etc. would be interesting. There is some professional skepticism as to the benefits of the extent to which American Cattleman vaccinate. I hear you clearly.

Had a discussion about this , this morning with my brother in law concerning a certain cow that every time we would get them up, she would go over the fence, never got vaccinated . Raised a calf every year , and in a very tight cycle.

 

[Rafter S]

When my youngest calf is about 2 weeks old I castrate, ear tag, and vaccinate them for blackleg. When I wean heifers they go to the vet for branding and their heifer package (I'm not sure what it is other than blackleg, deworming, brucellosis, and respiratory diseases), along with Multimin. When they're about 20-22 months old they go back to the vet for palpating, deworming, and more Multimin. That's it, other than maybe pour-on worming every year or two. I can't remember the last time I lost a cow or calf to disease.

 

[cow pollinater]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

Yep. I don't touch them until they are about two-three months old. I do vaccinate and with MLV at that but my concern is weaning time, not when they are a nursing calf. If you're having problems with calves that are nursing vaccinated cows then there are bigger problems that need to be addressed than the vaccination protocol.

 

[callmefence]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

Yep. I don't touch them until they are about two-three months old. I do vaccinate and with MLV at that but my concern is weaning time, not when they are a nursing calf. If you're having problems with calves that are nursing vaccinated cows then there are bigger problems that need to be addressed than the vaccination protocol.

Same here. I don't touch em until about 6 weeks before weaning. They get covexin8 then same again in a couple weeks and cut. As soon as I feel their over the nutting they get weaned. I don't feel a properly nursing calf needs anything.

 

[Bright Raven]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

Yep. I don't touch them until they are about two-three months old. I do vaccinate and with MLV at that but my concern is weaning time, not when they are a nursing calf. If you're having problems with calves that are nursing vaccinated cows then there are bigger problems that need to be addressed than the vaccination protocol.

Same here. I don't touch em until about 6 weeks before weaning. They get covexin8 then same again in a couple weeks and cut. As soon as I feel their over the nutting they get weaned. I don't feel a properly nursing calf needs anything.

Fence,
My calves are deliberately handled from birth. Its fundamental to how I operate. I will start haltering at a month old. My vaccination protocols are not because I have had problems. I have never lost a calf to infectious disease. It is fundamentally a preventative measure.

 

[Rafter S]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

Yep. I don't touch them until they are about two-three months old. I do vaccinate and with MLV at that but my concern is weaning time, not when they are a nursing calf. If you're having problems with calves that are nursing vaccinated cows then there are bigger problems that need to be addressed than the vaccination protocol.

Same here. I don't touch em until about 6 weeks before weaning. They get covexin8 then same again in a couple weeks and cut. As soon as I feel their over the nutting they get weaned. I don't feel a properly nursing calf needs anything.

There's got to be blackleg in your part of the country. You've apparently been very lucky.

 

[TCRanch]

And number 3 thing for the new born Ron is to do nothing and save them from all the stress of handling.

Australia has one of the least treated cattle herds in the world, very little antibiotics used as well but I do acknowledge that we can get away with that because of the extensive conditions cattle are kept over here plus we do not have the extremes of weather and cold winters that you have there. Pneumonia is virtually unheard of outside of the feedlot situation.

As the saying goes "the solution to pollution is dilution"

Ken

I generally just come up behind a newborn calf when it's laying down, gently sit/straddle, tag, pop in a bolus and if it's a bull & hubby is able to help it gets banded with a shot of Covexin 8. It also allows me to get a rudimentary temp when I stick my finger in their mouth (are they too cold/hot and do I need to move them to the barn?). I follow up with a scratch under their neck and quite often a little kiss (cuz they're so dang cute!). Very little stress to the calf - I don't tackle them to the ground (don't think I could anyway).

 

[angus9259]

I would like to get back to not vaccinating calves. Only thing they get right now is Bo-Se for white muscle disease. Never lost one to white muscle since I started. Never lost one before I started either....

Kind of reminds me of my scours prevention. I used to give the calves a scourbos at birth. Then started giving it to the mommas pre-calving in case I wasn't home, the antibodies would be in the colostrum. Never had a case of scours. Never had a case of scours before that either....

 

[BrangusUSA]

We run a closed herd except for a new bull every two years. We don't vaccinate anything - cow or calves. Never used a vet for our cattle. We have used antibiotics from the feed store - 3 times in the past 10 years. Never pulled a calf. Would not even begin to know how, except what I have read on here.
Never "luted" a cow/heifer either. These brangus cows have brahma in them. They have successfully had calves for thousands of years.
I provide salt/mineral/hay and an ear tag for each one with spray (summer) and minimal feed (winter). Grass in front and the bull behind.

 

[angus9259]

We run a closed herd except for a new bull every two years. We don't vaccinate anything - cow or calves. Never used a vet for our cattle. We have used antibiotics from the feed store - 3 times in the past 10 years. Never pulled a calf. Would not even begin to know how, except what I have read on here.
Never "luted" a cow/heifer either. These brangus cows have brahma in them. They have successfully had calves for thousands of years.
I provide salt/mineral/hay and an ear tag for each one with spray (summer) and minimal feed (winter). Grass in front and the bull behind.

Does anything ever die?

 

[BrangusUSA]

We run a cow/calf operation of almost 150 head. Cows are shipped to the sale barn when they reach 8 unless they are in super condition and still producing then we will keep them to 10 years old. Calves are shipped spring/fall. Keep replacement heifers as needed.
"Does anything ever die?" No momma cows die because we cull before they get old and we breed for birthing ease. A bull calf died two years ago but it was very premature. A heifer died five years ago while giving birth. We don't bring them in to the barn or anything for calving. The barn is for hay storage. Was not aware that anybody with large herds brought cows in for birth unless it was up north in the cold.
It works for us. Minimal expense and good records make it profitable for us. Might not work for you. Might not be the best way. But we haven't had problems with blackleg, etc.

 

[angus9259]

We run a cow/calf operation of almost 150 head. Cows are shipped to the sale barn when they reach 8 unless they are in super condition and still producing then we will keep them to 10 years old. Calves are shipped spring/fall. Keep replacement heifers as needed.
"Does anything ever die?" No momma cows die because we cull before they get old and we breed for birthing ease. A bull calf died two years ago but it was very premature. A heifer died five years ago while giving birth. We don't bring them in to the barn or anything for calving. The barn is for hay storage. Was not aware that anybody with large herds brought cows in for birth unless it was up north in the cold.
It works for us. Minimal expense and good records make it profitable for us. Might not work for you. Might not be the best way. But we haven't had problems with blackleg, etc.

Well, if nothing ever dies, you don't vaccinate, don't need antibiotics and never use a vet, that would work for me!

 

[BrangusUSA]

Angus9259 hold on skippy! I never said no cattle died. I gave you two examples of ones that did. Anyone in the cattle business for any length of time will lose one occasionally. It is inherent to the business. But there is no shot that would have fixed those that died. I also said we had used an antibiotic 3 times in the past 10 years. We really try not to over use that, but if an animal is sick we will treat him. I will stand by the comment on never having a vet treat our cattle. I have taken a picture of a calf and showed it to the feed mill owner and said what does this look like and how would you treat it? He said tetanus shot and I gave tetanus and antibiotic shot. We run the bulls with the herd year round. I know from records who has calved and who needs to get on the bus. I really don't need or care for a vet to tell me the momma cow is 6 months pregnant, etc.
May sound short sighted but if ever have blackleg, etc. we will start treating it. We cull (sale barn) any lame, old, limping, nonproducing, etc. We have no adjacent neighbors running cattle to worry about. We run a closed herd except for bulls. My point was just that cattle have been having calves for thousands of years without human assistance. I must note that ours are commercial not PB. If I had the kind of money in a single cow that some of these guys have I would probably have them in air conditioned/heated barns and sleep next to them.