Vaccinating sale barn calves

[slick4591]

I have a 5 month old crossbred calf that will be heading to the sale barn the end of February after I wean. I'm worming the herd today and vaccinating at least one calf. I'll worm the guy, but do y'all usually vaccinate sale barn bound calves?

 

[dun]

We vacinate all weaned calves no matter where they are bound. At the sale barn we make sure they announce what all has been done to them.

 

[slick4591]

Thanks, Dun. Just what I needed to know.

 

[angie1]

I did for awhile, but it felt like a waste of my money. The auctioneer doesn't announce the vaccination, and anyone who buys them vaccinates regardless so they can know its been done.

 

[Lucky_P]

We sell at one of two local salebarns - one announces 'value-added' calves, with regard to vaccination, weaning, etc., at every sale, and those calves generally bring top dollar for their weight class. The other holds a monthly 'value-added' sale, where they will actually announce calves that have had whatever vaccinations, weaned/bunk broke, etc. - but still, if you've got some that are sorted off due to being smaller, a different color(other than black/BWF), they often don't get a higher price - and I sometimes feel like somebody 'stole' those.
Sometimes I question whether it's worth the trouble - but it is the right thing to do for the calf, and for the next person(s) up the chain of custody.

All of our calves get two rounds of IBR/BVD/PI3/BRSV, a Pasteurella/Mannheimia bacterin/toxoid, 5-way Clostridial(two doses), are weaned and bunk broke for at least 2 weeks - usually 4-6 wks- before they go to the sale.

I don't buy salebarn calves, but if I did, unless I had verification that they had been adequately vaccinated, I'd hit 'em with the intranasal Inforce-3(IBR/PI3/BRSV) on arrival, then wait 10 days or so and booster them with Bovi-Shield Gold 5 or similar MLV product. I don't give bacterins at the same time with a mlv BVD product, as it can block response to the bacterins. So...purchased calves would also need to get a Clostridial bacterin/toxoid at some point, either on arrival, or 7-10 days after the injectible MLV containing BVD.

 

[slick4591]

Thanks for the info, Lucky. The vet sent 4-way and 7-way so I went ahead and gave them.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Sometimes I question whether it's worth the trouble - but it is the right thing to do for the calf, and for the next person(s) up the chain of custody.

I agree. If you care about what your product looks like a few weeks down the line, it isn't that expensive. If animal welfare is important to you, it would sure make sense on this basis as well, since that calf or calves will be exposed to a whole host of new pathogenic viruses and bacteria.

I don't buy salebarn calves, but if I did, unless I had verification that they had been adequately vaccinated, I'd hit 'em with the intranasal Inforce-3(IBR/PI3/BRSV) on arrival, then wait 10 days or so and booster them with Bovi-Shield Gold 5 or similar MLV product. I don't give bacterins at the same time with a mlv BVD product, as it can block response to the bacterins. So...purchased calves would also need to get a Clostridial bacterin/toxoid at some point, either on arrival, or 7-10 days after the injectible MLV containing BVD.

Lucky P, curious why your prefer the intranasal on arrival? Is it a IgA (at least I think that is the dominant one secreted in respiratory tract) antibody response that you are after, a quicker response, or does it just seem more effective?

 

[Lucky_P]

Yep. Interferon and IgA at the point of first contact - and you've got some measurable active immune response within the first 2-3 days; booster at 10 days or so with an injectible mlv jumps it up some more.

For several years, we had a local order buyer whom we sold to, straight off the farm. He said that they never had any problems with our calves that required pulling for treatment. Don't know how they're faring for the folks buying 'em now, at the local salebarns, but I'd hazard a guess that they have fewer problems with ours than with the majority coming through the ring there.

 

[Bigfoot]

I sell at the same two yards lucky does. The vast majority are weaned on sale day, and never have any vaccinations. I think our whole area suffers from the stigma, and the buyers take it into account when bidding.

 

[inyati13]

I sell at the same two yards lucky does. The vast majority are weaned on sale day, and never have any vaccinations. I think our whole area suffers from the stigma, and the buyers take it into account when bidding.

Bigfoot, it is not just there. Farmers here for the most part, take their calves off the cow the night before, put them in a holding pen, load 'em the next morning and haul 'em to the stockyards. No vaccinations. In fact very few vaccinate their cows. None of the neighbors bother with vaccinations. It is the standard practice here. I have discussed it with our UK extension agent. She has tried to change the practice but farmers are a pretty headstrong lot and many argue that they don't make anything now so they won't spend the money.

 

[Howdyjabo]

If everyone started a good weaning program I would be out of business(backgrounder).

 

[dun]

Our calves all get enrolled in the Pfizer weanvac program. I get a bunch of cards from Pfizer that lists everything that has been done. Cards go to the sale barn with the calves so when they're sold the buyer knows where the calves came from. It's all just part of the positive reputaion dal that helps bring the few extra bucks for the calves.

 

[Lucky_P]

I grew up doing the trailer-weaning thing - and despite knowing better, continued doing it until 6 or 7 years ago, when my wife took over and actually instituted some MANAGEMENT.
It's not really all that much trouble or expense - but it's more than some folks are willing to put into it.

 

[slick4591]

If everyone started a good weaning program I would be out of business(backgrounder).

This is the first time I've heard of a "weaning program." I was planning on penning two calves in a large pen where they would have creep and hay and fence line access to their mommas. Something I'm missing?

 

[dun]

If everyone started a good weaning program I would be out of business(backgrounder).

This is the first time I've heard of a "weaning program." I was planning on penning two calves in a large pen where they would have creep and hay and fence line access to their mommas. Something I'm missing?

Weaning progam vary by producer. Our simply consists of the obvious, fence line weaning. But also included 2 rounds of vaccinations, worming, bunk broke, poured for external parasites, used to waterers and backgrounded for 45 days. The backgrounding gets them used to a something closer to a feedlot ration (ours is free choice hay or stockpiled pasture and around 1% of body weight grain mixture) and also accmplishes the bunk broke and waterer parts.

 

[slick4591]

Oh, I see. Guess I'm making my own program.

 

[dun]

Oh, I see. Guess I'm making my own program.

A lot of producers do. We also enroll themin the Pizer weanvac program, doesn;t cost anything other then the vaccines/wormers.

 

[jachwhit]

I did for awhile, but it felt like a waste of my money. The auctioneer doesn't announce the vaccination, and anyone who buys them vaccinates regardless so they can know its been done.

Very true.

 

[Dave]

I did for awhile, but it felt like a waste of my money. The auctioneer doesn't announce the vaccination, and anyone who buys them vaccinates regardless so they can know its been done.

Very true.

Anyone who buys them vaccinates them regardless. True. I know I do. But I will pay more for one that is vaccinated because I figure there is less chance of it getting sick until my vaccine kicks in. When I sell I give the auctioneer a well written out description of the vaccination history. Auctioneers who don't announce the vaccinations get reminded. As in I will stand and stop the sale. The second time they don't do it I will stand up and loudly no sale the calves and annouce why I am doing it. Auctioneers hate to be embarrassed. They wont forget after that.

 

[farmer's wife]

Just a heads up if you want to get your info out when your calves come in the ring just ask the clerk to make sure the auctioner reads the pen card.. If someone makes a point to ask I will make a point to hand to the auctioner.