Timing to allow weaned calves back with ma's

Help Support CattleToday:

Farminlund

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
427
Reaction score
1
Location
Central VA
I vaccinated my spring calves with modified live respiratory viruses. Their moms did not get vaccinated when open. If vaccinated calves nurse the moms, this can cause abortions. In the pas,t I could keep them apart for a couple months & all has worked out just fine. I don't have that much time anymore. What is a safe time period? Is it just till the mom dries up (a couple weeks). What if a calf nurses even if the ma is dry - is that an issue or it just if there is milk flowing? Thanks in advance for guidance in this matter. BTW I weaned them on 11/4.
 
not sure why you would want to risk putting calves back in with mamas even after a couple of weeks. My experience tells me that the calves will start sucking again. That leads to mastitis problems and lack of colostrum for next calf if they stay together. I can't answer ? about the vaccine time frame.
 
I vaccinated my spring calves with modified live respiratory viruses. Their moms did not get vaccinated when open. If vaccinated calves nurse the moms, this can cause abortions. In the pas,t I could keep them apart for a couple months & all has worked out just fine. I don't have that much time anymore. What is a safe time period?
Hopefully the DVM's on this board will voice their opinions. The literature regarding your concern (with a few exceptions) state Respiratory ML vaccinated calves
 
Ack my crummy internet connection sniped off my full reply.

The literature regarding your concern (with a few exceptions) state Respiratory ML vaccinated calves
could pose an abortion issue if their dams weren't vaccinated according to the respective ML product's protocol. Likely the case if the dam has never been vaccinated but I suspect if she's received a killed vaccine annually that might not be the case.
 
The following link should be helpful as far as whether or not it could possibly cause abortion. And, BTW, the dam in my situation has shown no signs and I was eventually able to wean her calf - again.

But absolutely agree with @Dsth about putting the calves back with the dams. I just wouldn't do it. If you don't have the option of keeping them separated, sell the calves now or put in nose flaps.

 
Heifers here don't get mixed with main herd until after they have their second calf.
 
Mine get mixed with the cow herd for the first time when everyone comes in off the range in the fall, so the heifers would be about 18 months or so.
Used to separate the first and second calvers off to feed separately over the winter, but since I have developed a source of winter water (everyone used to eat snow for their winter water), I feed them all together. If I ever develop another winter water source I may go back to separating them again.
 
As another issue with yearling heifers, even if they aren't nursing off their dams, we had one who kept blocking the new calf from the dam-fixed that situation quickly....
 

Latest posts

Top