Calf Health

[p2p]

I have three longhorn pairs, the calves are about 2 months old, two bulls, one heifer.
How soon do I castrate? When and with what do I vaccinate them?
How about the mothers, when do I worm and vaccinate and with what?
We have about 16 head of roping cattle (includes the pairs) on about 10 acres, so we are over stocked.
How often do you vaccinate recreational cattle like that? Are they as susceptible to disease as beef and dairy cattle?
Also, the cows are open as we sent the bull home due to problems keeping him out of the neighbors.
We have also have 5 new heifers. Is it too late to bring the bull back and get them all bred for next year?
I don't want to calve in the dead heat of summer, but don't want to have everything open next year.
They aren't worth anything right now anyway, other than to us.
Oh yeah, we are in the central valley of California.
Thanks so much

 

[randiliana]

Well, the answer to most of this is, it depends.

As for castration, I figure, the sooner the better.

The calves can be vaccinated any time now. As to what vaccine, a 7 or 8-way clostridial (blackleg) for sure, there are other vaccines out there, but the best way to find out what to use is talk to a local vet and/or other cattle producer.

Cow wise, when to vaccinate depends on what vaccine you are using. Some are best given to cows that are not bred, some don't matter so much. A BVD, IBR and PI3 vaccine would be a good start. Again, it would be a good idea to talk to someone local.

Worming can be done at any time. You can use a pour on, an oral or an injectable. My preferance for worming would be oral or injectable.

Longhorns are known to be a tough, resilient breed of cattle. They are, however, susceptible to any disease that other beef cattle are. Vaccination is a good way to prevent any problems.

A cow has about a 9 month gestation. You could certainly bring the bull back, and get them bred for next year. If you were to breed right now you could expect calves at the end of next April. I am not sure when your hot season starts, but you just have to figure 9 months from whenever your bull would be with the cows, and you will know if that is the wrong time. You can calve in the fall as well as the spring.

 

[dun]

What was said in the previous post plus, check with your local vet for what may be needed in your area. When we were in the desert we never vaccinated or wormed, when we were in Oakdale we vaccinated for everything and wormed a copule of times a year. Each area has different things that need to be addressed.

 

[p2p]

Thanks so much

I worm twice a year with pour on and vaccinate everything else once a year, Blackleg and something else, I can't remember off the top of my head. One is intra muscular and the other is subcataneous.
Just didn't know if it was different with cows and calves.
Hopefully we can get everything bred for next year soon. The market is so bad, we need to try to raise our own roping cattle. You buy them for $400 and sell them for $200...if you're lucky.
We are in Oakdale and the hot season starts about the end of June.
It is pretty hot, so we better castrate soon. Worry about the flies.

Anyway, I appreciate the input.