Scourguard Vaccine

[Lucky]

Been doing some studying on the Scours Vaccine and have a question. The label recommends to give an annual booster 5-7 weeks before calving. The manufacturers also say if calving for 90 days or more to give the later calving cows the shot later than the early calving cows. We give the shot in mid November or early December and start calving February 7th for 90 days. So we are giving the shot 10-12 weeks before the cows calve. I understand the reasoning behind giving the shot at the 5-7 week time frame but also wonder at what point the vaccine becomes ineffective. My thinking is the calves born in the first 60 days of our window are the most likely to get scours because of the potentially wet and muddy weather. So going by the time frame the calves born in the first 60 days should be covered but the straglers may not. Is this correct? The shot is $5.25 a hd so hate to give it if it's not working. We never really worried about the scours until a guy in our area off had a train wreck a few yrs back.

 

[gcreekrch]

Pretty much 10 days before calving starts here. Sometimes an early one or three are already on the ground. They get poured and a cheap blackleg to help avoid overeating disease too.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Used to have problems with scours at the place I used to be herdsmen. 75 day calving. Started vaccinating with ScourGuard. For three years I followed the label. The first year we cut our scour problems in half. The second year we cut them in half again and by the third year they were almost non existent. I switched to giving the cows their scour shot in the fall when they came off pasture roughly 120 days before calving started and never saw a lack of protection.

 

[TCRanch]

I used to vaccinate with ScourGuard. Then had an unfortunate bull situation (broke his junk!) and Spring calving segued into Spring - Fall. It just wasn't doable to spread out vaccinating multiple times but ended up with a train wreck of scours. Switched to giving all the calves First Defense within 12 hours and I can't remember the last time I had to treat a calf. Back to Spring calving only (the majority within 45 days) and considered going back to ScourGuard but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Cows start generating colostrum around five weeks prior to calving. For maximum benefit the last shot should be given 2-3 weeks prior to this so her antibody levels are at their highest when this occurs. Giving the vaccines earlier in pregnancy will still have a benefit but the levels may not be as high. Too close to calving and you might miss the window of colostrogenesis by the time antibody levels go up.

 

[Lucky]

Thanks for answers. I searched around a bit on Merck and Elancos website and couldn't find a good answer as to how long the vaccine was truly effective. Hopefully in the next few years we'll be set up better to catch the cows closer to calving but for now it is what is. I get scheduled allot of OT during calving season so a case of scours would be terrible for us. Last year we had 2 we thought had scours but doctored them pretty quick.

 

[redcowsrule33]

I don't believe a duration of immunity study has been published.

 

[Lucky_P]

rcr33 is on it.
Colostral antibodies are 'set' by 5 weeks prior to calving. Any vaccine given later than that is probably not going to show up in colostral antibody makeup.
It's been over 30 years since I saw the publication, but beef heifers given oral rota/corona vaccination (CalfGuard) prior to calving (I don't recall the interval) still had detectible anti-corona antibodies in milk, 28 days post-calving. I don't think they sampled past that timepoint.

 

[Dave]

I used Scourguard for a couple of years over on the coast. Then I changed to a different vaccine because it covered a longer time frame. I wish I could remember the mane but that was probably 13-14 years ago. I don't have a scour issue here....... knock on wood.

 

[Silver]

Seems to me the product we used to use was Scour Boss. Could be mistaken though.

 

[Lucky]

We used Scourguard 4kc on and off for a few years. This year I ordered Gaurdian. There where 3 brands we looked at and all seemed to do the same time and had pretty well the same time frame.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have never used any "scour " vaccines"
I do give newborns Inforce3 & Multimin90.
BS5L5, OneShot Ultra 8 (and booster) and a 2nd Lepto shot in 6 months for herd.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I have never used any "scour " vaccines"
I do give newborns Inforce3 & Multimin90.
BS5L5, OneShot Ultra 8 (and booster) and a 2nd Lepto shot in 6 months for herd.

You mix up BSG5L5 for each new calf or wait until you have enough for a bottle?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I only give BS when I am doing a work-up. Calves at 3 and 6 months (roughly) and again after weaning. Then herd gets it in fall if spring calver and spring if fall calver. It is advised to give minimum 30 days prior to calving - and at that "could" cause breeding problems. Finally, one year I doubled up on herd. Spring normally got in spring, gave spring & fall. Then next year when calving, their vaccination was still "within" 12 months of calves nursing. Same with fall herd.
I am a believer in MLV, but trying to time that "prior" to calving was a bugger. Now, I don't have to worry about it.
@SBMF 2015 "newborn" calves only get Inforce3 and I buy boxes of 25 single dose.

 

[suzorse]

scourguard oral to each calf at birth , no longer do enforce 3 at birth , vaccinate the cow after dry off so 60 to 30 days out , 2 years only 1 calf got the enforce and both years that calf struggeled later in the heat and had to be treated for respatory (sp?) issues , I calve in March ,latest is May
Suzanne

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Don't want to jinx me, but I have never had any scour problems - and hope never will. But, I vaccinate because I believe in vaccination PROGRAMS.