Calicrate
Covexin 8 at banding.
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I recently renewed my BQA certification (in class, not online) and the K-State vet recommends banding. But don't band and subsequently cut a slit, which is an easy way to introduce pathogens.
JW IN VA
Well-known member
I don't know how much it helps but I like to at least spray a disinfectant on the area of the bag I'm going to cut. Also put disinfectant on the scalpel between calves or if it gets dropped. I wear vinyl or latex gloves also.
May not help much but has to do some good, IMO
I would think putting bands in a disinfectant solution and spraying would help with banding but that's only my guess.
I've done both banding and knife cutting and prefer the latter for a number of reasons. Only time I band is if I have a small calf the head gate won't hold and I'm by myself.
May not help much but has to do some good, IMO
I would think putting bands in a disinfectant solution and spraying would help with banding but that's only my guess.
I've done both banding and knife cutting and prefer the latter for a number of reasons. Only time I band is if I have a small calf the head gate won't hold and I'm by myself.
wbvs58
Well-known member
My recollection is that there is a response giving protective levels after 10 days after the primary shot but it falls away quickly to non protective levels after about 4 wks but when the 2nd shot is given it gives an immediate response and protective levels shoot right up and stay up for an extended period. I think a booster in 12 months is needed.
Most of the tetanus I have seen has been in horses and most did not have any obvious wound. One case that I always remember was a horse that had been transported in a cattle truck from a western station along with others loose in the truck. I believe bruising possibly from a kick provided an ideal anaerobic condition for spores already in the blood stream to lodge and multiply.
Ken
I know some that use Blue-Kote after cutting, but my question is, does a pine tar like spray help to reduce flies infecting the area?
JW IN VA
Well-known member
It might. Too bad we can't use the old "Dr LeGear's" disinfectant we had when I was a kid. The coal tar in it had a smell that stayed with them. And you.
I like to spray screw worm spray around the area.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I use Pine Tar when I cut bulls in the summer. It burns like hell in a cut and it will make your eyes water if you get to close, but it sure keeps the flies off.It might. Too bad we can't use the old "Dr LeGear's" disinfectant we had when I was a kid. The coal tar in it had a smell that stayed with them. And you.
I like to spray screw worm spray around the area.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Years ago we used creosote dip mixed in water as a disinfect. Very bad smell.
Ky hills
Well-known member
Used to put pine tar on dehorn jobs.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
The very first case of tetanus in cattle that I ever saw (in my 3rd year in veterinary school at the time) was in one of my very own home-bred steers - which I 'cut', with a Newberry knife, at about 400 lbs. Found him 'sawhorsed' out in the pasture about 2 weeks later. So... knife castration is not without risk, but in my estimation, is less risky than banding without adequate protection.
I have seen more than one 'trainwreck' with a large group of 5-7cwt bulls banded and a dose of tetanus toxoid administered at the time of banding, with fairly high morbidity/mortality rates, as the steers 'lost the race' between mounting an immune response and the production of tetanus toxin by C.tetani bacteria growing in the anaerobic devitalized tissue of scrotum and testicles.
I do not recommend banding without prior vaccination and boosting at time of band application - or administering tetanus antitoxin (TAT) at the time of banding.
I have seen a few cases of tetanus in baby calves banded with the little green Cheerio, but given the millions of those that have been applied over the decades, it's a low incidence.
That said, a dead baby calf has a distressingly low carcass weight , just like a dead 800-pounder... you just don't have as much invested in the neonate.
Tetanus toxoid (TT) as a stand-alone, or a 8- or 9-way Clostridial bacterin-toxoid containing TT... either way works. I always use Covexin-8 or Cavalry-9 on all calves, as several years back, we lost a 4-month old heifer to tetanus... and never knew what her exposure/infection route was - but we'd not been vaccinating against tetanus prior to that one.
I have seen more than one 'trainwreck' with a large group of 5-7cwt bulls banded and a dose of tetanus toxoid administered at the time of banding, with fairly high morbidity/mortality rates, as the steers 'lost the race' between mounting an immune response and the production of tetanus toxin by C.tetani bacteria growing in the anaerobic devitalized tissue of scrotum and testicles.
I do not recommend banding without prior vaccination and boosting at time of band application - or administering tetanus antitoxin (TAT) at the time of banding.
I have seen a few cases of tetanus in baby calves banded with the little green Cheerio, but given the millions of those that have been applied over the decades, it's a low incidence.
That said, a dead baby calf has a distressingly low carcass weight , just like a dead 800-pounder... you just don't have as much invested in the neonate.
Tetanus toxoid (TT) as a stand-alone, or a 8- or 9-way Clostridial bacterin-toxoid containing TT... either way works. I always use Covexin-8 or Cavalry-9 on all calves, as several years back, we lost a 4-month old heifer to tetanus... and never knew what her exposure/infection route was - but we'd not been vaccinating against tetanus prior to that one.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
A message that bears repeating.
I picked up some tetanus toxoid at Wilco.
So I am going to shoot these bulls with the tetanus and then a few weeks later , band them and give them a dose of covexin 8.
Does this sound reasonable as a protocol?
For tetanus, but what about the next dose of Covexin 8 for the rest of the diseases? Covexin 8 is a a two dose protocol.
Given my history on this thread, I will defer to the Vets. If you are going to have them in the chute anyway why not just go ahead and give the two doses of your 8way? It is cheap insurance.
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HatCreekCattleco
Well-known member
Exactly what we do minus the ear tags.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Exactly correct. Any 2 shot vaccine needs 2 shots to be effective.
I did not say I wouldn't give a follow up dose of covexin. I may have misunderstood the previous responses but it sounded like giving straight TT was important. I have it now so I am going to use it.
There is already Tetanus Toxoid in the Covexin. Before you start over-dosing vaccines, I would have a local Vet give you a proper protocol for your herd.
farmerjan
Well-known member
The instructions with the original Calicrate bander says to give Tetanus Toxoid at the time of banding. It does not say anything about a followup. It does say specifically TT not tetanus antitoxin.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
Yes, but the school of hard knocks has taught a lot of us that two doses is cheap insurance.
Plus it is recommended by the mfg for full protection (if it calls for 2 doses spaced apart). As I recall some MLV vaccines only call for one dose, such as Bovi Shield Gold.
