Vaccination and Branding Stress

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RayfromTX

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I am new to this stuff. In reading about vaccinations I understand that vaccinations have a higher success rate if the animals are not stressed during the period when the immune response is developing. We vaccinated for black leg yesterday. We will do it again in two weeks. We are ready to brand our cattle. I'm concerned about the stress of branding limiting the response of the vaccinations.

The condition of the mamas is about a 4 and sometimes I would call it 5 depending on the weather. The calves look good. We are taking the calves to the auction in 3 weeks. We won't be branding them. The calves are not nursing. The mamas appear to have kicked them off already. Would y'all brand now or wait a month until the immune response is developed?
 
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.

What vaccine are you using that specifies 2 weeks?
 
Bright Raven":12wnaraf said:
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.

What vaccine are you using that specifies 2 weeks?
Oops,it's 3-4 weeks. Vision8
 
RayfromTX":2zcbd3cm said:
Bright Raven":2zcbd3cm said:
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.

What vaccine are you using that specifies 2 weeks?
Oops,it's 3-4 weeks. Vision8

On a second shot, probably will be fine to brand if you need to but I would not brand the same day that you vaccinate if you can schedule it that way.
 
I have noticed in calves, heifers , etc. On first time exposure to a vaccine especially a Modified Live Virus preparation, that the next day, they don't feel good. That is not bad because it is an indicator that an immune response occurred. But there is some stress.
 
Bright Raven":2w95kkp7 said:
RayfromTX":2w95kkp7 said:
Bright Raven":2w95kkp7 said:
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.

What vaccine are you using that specifies 2 weeks?
Oops,it's 3-4 weeks. Vision8

On a second shot, probably will be fine to brand if you need to but I would not brand the same day that you vaccinate if you can schedule it that way.

Why not? Every time you handle them puts more stress on them. We brand, vaccinate, implant steers and burn any horns off in one pass. Castration done with bands at birth so that is not an issue. A few hours away from mom and 40 to 60 seconds of fame in the calf table is a pretty short stress period than multiple handlings.

Each to his own.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":rzsn6c9a said:
I agree. You don't want to vaccinate when calves are sick or being weaned. That is time of stress.

We actually do that too. Gathering a big bunch of cattle to give pre weaning vaccinations doesn't fit our program. The feedlots do their own vaccination regime regardless so we only spend money on calves kept in the fall.

Our booster vaccines are given the day after weaning.
 
Bright Raven":1m2qhqaj said:
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.
Alpha 7 - is the only one dose vaccine for clostridial includes blackleg - over 3 months of age just 1 shot
annual booster recommended
 
gcreekrch":3adydsrn said:
Jeanne - Simme Valley":3adydsrn said:
I agree. You don't want to vaccinate when calves are sick or being weaned. That is time of stress.
The feedlots do their own vaccination regime regardless so we only spend money on calves kept in the fall.
Feedlot buyers dock unvaccinated cattle around here.
 
gcreekrch":1bg1xi4e said:
Bright Raven":1bg1xi4e said:
RayfromTX":1bg1xi4e said:
Oops,it's 3-4 weeks. Vision8

On a second shot, probably will be fine to brand if you need to but I would not brand the same day that you vaccinate if you can schedule it that way.

Why not? Every time you handle them puts more stress on them. We brand, vaccinate, implant steers and burn any horns off in one pass. Castration done with bands at birth so that is not an issue. A few hours away from mom and 40 to 60 seconds of fame in the calf table is a pretty short stress period than multiple handlings.

Each to his own.

Dave, I would not because my calves are halter trained and managed to come into the facility on a regular basis. In fact, I rarely do more than one function at a time. It is a matter of convenience.

My cows are not worked as often as the calves and since they are only getting boosters, there is not as much issue with stress.
 
Son of Butch":2xhga8k1 said:
Bright Raven":2xhga8k1 said:
First - Every Blackleg for the Clostridial bacteria that I am aware of require at least 4 weeks between shots.
Alpha 7 - is the only one dose vaccine for clostridial includes blackleg - over 3 months of age just 1 shot
annual booster recommended

Butch,

Alpha 7 Clostridial vaccine does not contain an adjuvant. Which is an addictive to vaccines that helps reduce the tumor like swelling at the injection site. On the manufacturer's instructions there is the following statement:

Note: Injection leaves larger granulomas than other 2 shot vaccines.

That is provided because the vaccine does not include an adjuvant.
 
Yes, Alpha 7 will leave an injection lump at a much higher rate than other vaccines.
But calling it "Tumor like" almost qualifies you to write for the news readers on morning TV news programs.
Alpha 7 gives as much protection in one dose as the others give in 2.

p.s.
Now you know there is a single dose vaccine for blackleg and so not only does not require 2 doses 4 weeks apart,
but doesn't require a 2nd dose at all.
 
Literally hundreds of thousands of western calves get vaccinated, branded, and castrated all at the same time. And a whole lot of them get roped and drug to the fire. It doesn't appear to have an ill effect on them. Being weaned, sick, or run through the sale yard or a feedlot, that is stress.
 
Having branded the cattle now it does appear to be a rather low stress operation. I hope I did a good job. My wife was a trooper.
 
Son of Butch":2ni8xwst said:
gcreekrch":2ni8xwst said:
Jeanne - Simme Valley":2ni8xwst said:
I agree. You don't want to vaccinate when calves are sick or being weaned. That is time of stress.
The feedlots do their own vaccination regime regardless so we only spend money on calves kept in the fall.
Feedlot buyers dock unvaccinated cattle around here.

Cow herd is on a stringent vaccine program. Calves are covered with Intranasal at birth and at branding with a booster of the same. They are finding the Intranasal for Pasturella is doing more good for respiratory problems in young calves up to 4 months than a live vaccine.
Feedlots all have their own program regardless what happens at home.
They do want history though and it pays.
 

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