new vaccination program thiss year

[BryanM]

I found a new vet this year, and was impressed with his nowledge and treatment ideas. Some may be overboard a bit. anyway we went and got some vaccines and other things for cows and calves but the things he recommended for his program.

I did forget to ask him about size of needles he uses for needles I am thinking 18 or16ga inch my question is what do you guys and gals use?

another thought I had was he said that since vaccines are mixed that it was ok to freeze vaccines once but they cannot be froze thawed and re froze. but since calves are spread out and he suggested to give shots birthday or 7 days latter that we could mix vaccine and freeze each syringe thaw when needed and use. does anyone else use this techneque.

 

[dun]

I'm no expert but the only vaccines I've seen that you have to mix are MLV. MLV vaccines once mixed need to be used quickly, freezing it will probably make it useless.

 

[jerry27150]

18 gauge works fine for vaccines, don't know about freezing vaccines. i just keep in fridge

 

[inyati13]

There is a question on the BQA certification test that I took on what gauge needle to use and the correct answer was 16 gauge. The idea is to prevent broken needles from being a problem. 16 gauge is on the heavy side and thus strong enough to keep you out of trouble with a broken needle in the animal. I personally use 18 gauge on calves. Also, the bigger needles are a must for thick injections like LA 200/300. Vaccines are mixtures of the different organisms, preservatives, diluent, etc. I think that is what your vet meant. But I remember a post on here by Lucky_P who is a vet pathologist if I remember and he warned against mixing vaccines as you would need to know how the preservatives and diluent from one vaccine might affect the other. I am surprised at your vet's suggestion. Why, because drug companies would have every combination possible already in one shot (not to say that there are not already combinations). Unless the particular vaccines you are mixing are known to your vet to be mixable as the result of information provided by the drug maker; personally, I would always be guessing if my vaccines were effective. Maybe Lucky_P will read this thread. I may be wrong but I think he warned against the mixing.

In regard to freezing, every vaccine I have used has stated clearly not to freeze!! Bovi-Shield Gold 5 for example, Store at 2 - 7 degrees... Do not freeze.

 

[Lucky_P]

I'm surprised, too.
The MLV vaccines are meant to be given within a short period of time following reconstitution - like within 1-2 hrs. Freezing/thawing would almost certainly result in inactivation - and I can almost guarantee that the biologics manufacturer would not stand behind the product, if it was handled in such a manner, as it's clearly outside of the label instructions.
Drawing up individual doses and freezing them for later use will likely not cause any harm, but it's unlikely that they'll achieve their intended effect - inducing the animal's immune system to respond appropriately. Sounds like a waste of time and effort, and a faulty recommendation, to me.

18 ga. 1-1.5" needles suffice for most things. Thicker medications, a 16ga. works well.