Grass Fed--Vaccinations--Worming?

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cmf1

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To the people that MIG, rotate, or pure grass feed,...
Do you vaccinate and worm on same recommended schedules and with same pour ons and vacs as "conventional" herds use.
Seems like I have heard from some that they differ on the conventional use of some of these products and practices.

And do you feel that stock density and "fresh pasturing" has a lot to do with whether or not you require the use of certain vacs and wormers that are "scheduled use" commonly.
 
I rotate pastures and still vaccinate and worm. It is cheap insurance. No other way to explain it for me. Parasites can suck your input out of the cows. If I do everything right, the only thing that is going to work against me is wore out teeth.

There's cattle all around mine in adjoining pastures. I have no control on who brings in what on the next ranch. I have had a neighbor's cows get out, get on the road in front of my place, and good samaritans turn them in my pastures with my cows.

Vaccination is better than digging a hole with the backhoe. Worming is better than letting profits get sucked up by parasites. Healthy cattle are less problems and less time consuming.

These are my opinions of course and the next guy will differ. He may not have 6 or 8 ranches with cattle on his border fences.
 
I couldn't say it better mysef Backhoe!

Those that don't vaccinate and de-worm either have a lot of luck or have a lot of extra money to gamble with... The livestock business is risky enough without these preventive measures. I like the knowledge that my cattle are clean, disease-free, worm-free, and in the best of health to guard against bad things.

Those that don't vaccinate or de-worm livestock are like the parents that don't believe in vaccinating their kids against childhood diseases. "Pennywise, Pound Foolish".

JMO and management practice. :)
 
I believe everyone should do what works for them regardless of what accepted practices dictate.
I just dosed all the calves w/Vision8 and the mommas w/Triangle, and Eprinex down the back of all while I had them in the chute, and I don't know enough to judge anybodies practices that do it differently for whatever reason.
I know people that don't have a pen much less a chute, so I'm guessing that their stock is not getting regular treatments of anything. Some that just pour on when they can, but not regularly.
I'm just interested to get the different points of view why you do, or why you don't.
Greg, why don't vacs mean much to you?
 
Running Arrow Bill":1fy83sk8 said:
Those that don't vaccinate and de-worm either have a lot of luck or have a lot of extra money to gamble with... The livestock business is risky enough without these preventive measures. I like the knowledge that my cattle are clean, disease-free, worm-free, and in the best of health to guard against bad things.

Those that don't vaccinate or de-worm livestock are like the parents that don't believe in vaccinating their kids against childhood diseases. "Pennywise, Pound Foolish".

In many cases, your statement is true. In our area however, we have no blackleg nor the other diseases that are being vaccinated for. We have 4 people that own herds in my area, including myself. All are well separated from each other, and all are closed except for the occasional new bull that is brought in. We do worm regular, we do rotate pastures, however unless or until there is a need for vaccinations, it won't be happening. I don't do it, nor do the ones that have been in the cattle business for generations. We also do not implant.

To each their own.
 
Mine are on pasture all summer and hay from our pastures in the winter. I worm them with Ivomec injectable and BoviShield Gold FPL5. Better safe than sorry.
 
I have a small herd, I deworm on a regular basis and vaccinate once a year, but only vaccinate for whats in my area. If I were to do only one thing I would deworm! Parasites can do a number on your herd.
:cboy:
 
cmf1":1heh0zsx said:
I believe everyone should do what works for them regardless of what accepted practices dictate.
I just dosed all the calves w/Vision8 and the mommas w/Triangle, and Eprinex down the back of all while I had them in the chute, and I don't know enough to judge anybodies practices that do it differently for whatever reason.
I know people that don't have a pen much less a chute, so I'm guessing that their stock is not getting regular treatments of anything. Some that just pour on when they can, but not regularly.
I'm just interested to get the different points of view why you do, or why you don't.
Greg, why don't vacs mean much to you?

Yep...build yourself somekind of catch pen with a workable chute before you buy cattle. No need owning something you can't even catch. As for preventive medicine, I can't afford to wait til a high price cow dies with some disease I could have prevented before I implement some kind of proactive immunization program. It don't cost that much. :!:
 
We have a serious set of working corrals at both our properties. Medina Hinge squeeze units both places. Since we sell our Longhorns nationally, as well as occasionally purchase breeding stock from out of state, we do a complete vaccination/de-worming protocol. We don't trust any new animals coming in to be worm free and not disease carriers (the majority of breeders we purchase from do not provide us with written documentation of health records) [the Vet Health Certificate only tells us the animal is alive and "healthy" on a cursory external examination]. Our customers have the assurance (written documentation print-out they get on purchase) of our health status. Our average "health protocol" probably doesn't exceed $35. a year per animal unit. We also weigh, measure horns, and de-worm any animal that is purchased from us on the day of sale for delivery or customer pick-up.
 
My oldest daughter is a family practice doctor and she is a strong advocate of preventive medicine - keeping people healthy rather than treating illnesses after the fact - where ever possible.

I think the same holds true for our livestock as it does for people. We vaccinate our kids against diseases which may not be currently in our town. Where vaccines exist for serious illnesses I think we should use them even though there may not have been cases of that disease around. Once various diseases DO show up they can be very difficult, and expensive to handle. We all took polio vaccines as kids even though there was no polio in our neighborhoods didn't we?

As a preventative medicine program I have my vet come in twice a year in my spring calving herd. He comes in early June when the calves are about 6-8 weeks old and we run everyone thru the corral, scale and chute. Calves get first shots, older animals get booster shots, bull calves get cut, everyone gets pour on dewormer (amount is closely controlled by weight of the animal). It goes amazingly quickly - maybe 1 minute per head except for cutting bull calves which maybe adds another minute.

Vet comes back in the fall in late October or early November just prior to weaning. He preg checks all females, anything open gets nothing since they will be going to the processor. Pregnant females and all calves get pour on dewormer again and booster shots. Anything going to the processor in the next 90 days or so gets nothing. My vet sees a lot of cattle, has cattle of his own and he determines what immunization shots to use. He knows more about vet medicine than I do.

The two vet visits per year total about $20-$25 per head per year. I think that is an investment with a good ROI. Although you admittedly are never quite sure. On a finished steer I probably have $30-40 of preventative medicine costs in him (2 or 3 visits) depending on when harvested.

I do not use any hormone implants and don't look at them as "medicine".

Preventive medicine and vaccinations/immunizations are ok with "natural beef". Hormones and background antibiotics are not. If an animal needs antibiotics it will get them but not be sold as natural beef. I don't look at antibiotics as "preventive medicine".

My daughter says she sees a lot of kids who do not respond to normal antibiotic treatments that used to work. I think we should reserve antibiotics for when they are really needed.

This is just my opinion and method of operation. I feel MIG does NOT reduce the need for vaccinations. I strongly agree with the comments above that whether you have one head or 100 you must have at least a simple (homemade posts and boards) way to corral your cattle and get them single file (an alley). Most vets have a portable chute they can back up to your homemade alley when needed. You don't need to buy an expensive chute etc. Just locate your corral and alley where a vet can back his chute to the alley outlet. Jim
 

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