BANGS VACC

[row4wsu]

My husband and I are looking at a yearling heifer, but she hasn't had her bangs vacc -- I usually do my others at 4 -9 months -- should I be suspicious about why? And is there any concern for a heifer over a year who hasn't gotten it -- she s definitely getting it before she comes home if we buy her.

 

[bigbull338]

ok how old is this heifer.if she is between 4 an 12 months old she can be banged.if she is 13 months old she cant be bangs vacc.because over 12 months when they pull blood.they will show as a banger.aka card positive sight neg.wich means if they are sold as a replacement.they will have to stay in their home state.in texas the card pos sight neg cows are painted yellow.wich means they cant be shipped out of state.

 

[milkmaid]

I haven't yet had a vet ask me a heifer's age when he vaccinated her. Done 'em from 4 months up through 16ish months on older open heifers I've purchased. Not a problem as long as they're open. If they're bred then the vet needs a killed vaccine and approval from the state veterinarians.

As long as you aren't selling the heifer out of state in the next year or so it won't be an issue. Once she's an older cow, the difference between being vaccinated at 12 or 16ish months is nil, and won't be a problem if blood is ever drawn for any reason. The only way it could be a problem is if you were selling her as a heifer or first calf heifer out of state for breeding stock, blood was drawn, and the titer was higher than would normally be expected on an animal of her approximate age. As long as you're not selling her as a heavy bred for breeding stock, I wouldn't worry about it a bit.

The way I'd look at it is to figure the heifer's owner is either lazy or extremely busy and hasn't gotten around to having her vaccinated yet.

 

[sidney411]

I have heard of older cows having higher titer rates due to late vaccination. I remember hearing about a dairy herd around here a long time ago that was condemed due to this :? I'm not really sure of the whole story but it was back when the state came around and pulled samples for something, I don't know. I just heard some of the old timers talking about it one day in the coffee shop.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Are we on the same page here? We are talking Brucellosis vaccination (Bangs)?? Must vary tremendously from state to state. Here in NY, heifers must be between the age of 4-8 months, only a vet can give it, and he must fill out a form with permanent ID & age & send it to the state. Vet puts a metal tag w/ number & also tattoos a special logo in ear. Obviously, our vets are still using a live vaccine.
Breeding stock can go to MOST states without the vaccination, but would have to be tested first. Some breeders just don't believe in doing it anymore (actually, most breeders out here don't do it.)

 

[bigbull338]

yes we are talking bout the same thing.in texas you can bangs a heifer up to 12 months.

 

[TexasBred]

BB I remember some folks that use to bring all their heifers to one central location and the vet would come out and vaccinate them all. If there was one or two that were too old he would put the clip in the ear, tattoo them and NOT give the vaccine. And folks wonder why bangs still hangs around.

 

[bigbull338]

yes an they still use the sliver clipps in the ear to show that its a tested cow/heifer.but that it hasnt been bangs vacced.any reg cattle being sold in consignment sales have tobe bangs vacced.they wont take any tested cattle.

 

[milkmaid]

Jeanne - yes, we're talking about the same vaccine. Most states that require bangs vaccines, want them to be done over 4 months to somewhere between 8 and 12 months -- for the live vaccine. With state approval, older cows can be vaccinated with a different vaccine. While I was back home for Christmas break and traveling with my vet, we ran across a bred heifer (18 months?) that hadn't been vacc'd and he told the owners he'd do her next time he was at their place; he just needed some paperwork first and he didn't have the vaccine with him. Isn't a big deal.

 

[TexasBred]

Are we on the same page here? We are talking Brucellosis vaccination (Bangs)?? Must vary tremendously from state to state. Here in NY, heifers must be between the age of 4-8 months, only a vet can give it, and he must fill out a form with permanent ID & age & send it to the state. Vet puts a metal tag w/ number & also tattoos a special logo in ear. Obviously, our vets are still using a live vaccine.
Breeding stock can go to MOST states without the vaccination, but would have to be tested first. Some breeders just don't believe in doing it anymore (actually, most breeders out here don't do it.)

Jeanne to come into Texas they are tested and if they test negative they are allowed to come into the state. They can be sold as "E-Permit" cows, meaning you have to have them re-tested within 60 days (if I recall..might be 30) and get another negative test. Lot of dairies especially look for these cattle as you can buy them a couple hundred dollars cheape but must keep them segregated until retested.

 

[dun]

yes an they still use the sliver clipps in the ear to show that its a tested cow/heifer.but that it hasnt been bangs vacced.any reg cattle being sold in consignment sales have tobe bangs vacced.they wont take any tested cattle.

Not that way in MO. As long as they;re tested and the results are available they can be sold.

 

[bigbull338]

well i dont know if the rules have changed here in texas or not.i know 12 or 15yrs ago cattle coming from MO had tobe bangs vacced.or else you be in big trouble.

 

[dun]

well i dont know if the rules have changed here in texas or not.i know 12 or 15yrs ago cattle coming from MO had tobe bangs vacced.or else you be in big trouble.

We've had cows sold to TX without vacicnation. Mo is calassified as being bangs free.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

yes an they still use the sliver clipps in the ear to show that its a tested cow/heifer.but that it hasnt been bangs vacced.

Here in Va. they get the clip in the ear and a tattoo at the time of vaccination. My vet will vaccinate anywhere from 4 mos. to 12 mos. of age.

Katherine

 

[Farmgirl]

I read on the Texas Animal Health Commission web site that the bangs vaccine currently used is different that what most are expecting. With that there is no problem with giving it after 12 months of age. Don't remember the details but that is the big picture.

Farmgirl

 

[rkm]

When we started dairying in the sixties, we bought some bred heifers from a cattle dealer in Ohio. It turns out that although they had clean health papers they were not vac. for bangs. We found out we had bangs through the milk ring test. What a mess! We could not buy or sell any cattle, [any cattle that was sold had a big red B painted on their heads by the state vet]. Cattle that we had just paid $800 for was being sold for $25 to $50 because if they had a red B on them they had to go to gov inspected slaughter houses and their was only one who purchased cattle at our local sale barn. The state vet pulled blood on every cow every month for over two years before we had 6 months without a pos or suspect titer. We culled every cow that had a high titer [half our herd] until we were determined bangs free. If you vac. after 8 months of age you run the risk of having a high titer. Today with most states being bangs free we do not vac.

 

[Farmgirl]

Found the link I mentioned earlier in this thread. Talks about the RB-51 strain of Bangs vaccine and how it doesn't cause the high titer that was a problem with earlier strains of the vaccine.

http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_heal ... ar2007.pdf

Farmgirl

 

[TexasBred]

Contacted Sulfur Springs Dairy Auction, in Sulfur Spring, Texas about brucellosis vaccines. Here is what they said:

"I talked to the state people. they said cattle coming in to the premises are required to have a health certificate and identification tag. if the cattle are coming to the sale barn they are required to have a health certificate and identification tag and have to be retest due to ownership change. it is best to double check this with your vet because he will have to get the health certificate."