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Vaccination question about dairy heifers
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<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1544775" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>We do minimal vaccinations compared to many on here. I will not advise because I have some different philosophies..... Except to say that black leg at 2 week and again at 6 weeks is defeating the purpose. If the cows have been vaccinated for blackleg (clostridial) they will pass the immunity on to the calves. We had some problems years ago and found that vaccinating the cows, and yes, my nurse cows also, eliminated the need for it before 8-12 weeks when the maternal antibodies fade in the milk. My vet said it was a waste of time and too much stress on the calves and would actually counteract the naturally occurring antibodies from the cows. </p><p>We do BoSe for the E & Selenium as we are in a deficient area, but not to all the calves as we do have the max amount of E & selenium put in our mineral mix. But I am quick to give any weak calf a shot. I also do A & D. I no longer give pinkeye vaccinations. We had more cases of it than ever when we were doing it. The vet said he had never seen such a "negative" response to it so to try and see how we made out without giving it again. We do much better without. And there is a fair amount of pinkeye around here. We give A & D to anything I treat, but we also cull for resistance. We have a few cases a year, but if caught quick, can usually completely clear it up. We have eliminated alot of it simple from culling, and the cows building up a natural resistance to it, which seems to pass it on to the calves. </p><p></p><p>All heifers we are retaining get Bangs. We lepto them also. Don't lepto anything we are not retaining. Cows get lepto and Blackleg at preg checks, once a year.</p><p></p><p>We do not routinely worm anything. We feed Diatomaceous Earth in our feed and in our mineral mix. We worm only as necessary and also cull for cows that are susceptible to worms. My nurse cows follow the same protocol as the beef cows except that they are grain fed when they are nursing calves as I want maximum production so they can raise up the maximum # of calves. </p><p></p><p>One curious question. Are you going to be raising dairy heifers on contract? The reason that I ask is that the dairy industry is in such a tough state right now, with so many going out and milk prices being so low. There is NO MARKET for springing dairy heifers here in Va. They are selling for 800 to 1200 if you can find a buyer. I live and work in the Shen Valley where there are alot of dairies. I interact with these farmers every day/week and have for over 35 years. </p><p>I think nurse cow raised calves do better than many bottle calves. But will you have a market for them? I know what it takes to raise calves on nurse cows, and what it costs to get a heifer up to calving. Presently here it is a lost cause. One of my registered dairy farmers sold out and he kept his open heifers. He had a great reputation, 60 years of breeding and showing for many years, sold reg. bulls as cleanup to many farms, good milk records, and was hard pressed to get 1150 for his springers this past fall. </p><p></p><p>I would hate for you to do something that there is no market for and to lose your shirt so to speak when you cannot sell them except at a loss. So that was why I was asking.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1544775, member: 25884"] We do minimal vaccinations compared to many on here. I will not advise because I have some different philosophies..... Except to say that black leg at 2 week and again at 6 weeks is defeating the purpose. If the cows have been vaccinated for blackleg (clostridial) they will pass the immunity on to the calves. We had some problems years ago and found that vaccinating the cows, and yes, my nurse cows also, eliminated the need for it before 8-12 weeks when the maternal antibodies fade in the milk. My vet said it was a waste of time and too much stress on the calves and would actually counteract the naturally occurring antibodies from the cows. We do BoSe for the E & Selenium as we are in a deficient area, but not to all the calves as we do have the max amount of E & selenium put in our mineral mix. But I am quick to give any weak calf a shot. I also do A & D. I no longer give pinkeye vaccinations. We had more cases of it than ever when we were doing it. The vet said he had never seen such a "negative" response to it so to try and see how we made out without giving it again. We do much better without. And there is a fair amount of pinkeye around here. We give A & D to anything I treat, but we also cull for resistance. We have a few cases a year, but if caught quick, can usually completely clear it up. We have eliminated alot of it simple from culling, and the cows building up a natural resistance to it, which seems to pass it on to the calves. All heifers we are retaining get Bangs. We lepto them also. Don't lepto anything we are not retaining. Cows get lepto and Blackleg at preg checks, once a year. We do not routinely worm anything. We feed Diatomaceous Earth in our feed and in our mineral mix. We worm only as necessary and also cull for cows that are susceptible to worms. My nurse cows follow the same protocol as the beef cows except that they are grain fed when they are nursing calves as I want maximum production so they can raise up the maximum # of calves. One curious question. Are you going to be raising dairy heifers on contract? The reason that I ask is that the dairy industry is in such a tough state right now, with so many going out and milk prices being so low. There is NO MARKET for springing dairy heifers here in Va. They are selling for 800 to 1200 if you can find a buyer. I live and work in the Shen Valley where there are alot of dairies. I interact with these farmers every day/week and have for over 35 years. I think nurse cow raised calves do better than many bottle calves. But will you have a market for them? I know what it takes to raise calves on nurse cows, and what it costs to get a heifer up to calving. Presently here it is a lost cause. One of my registered dairy farmers sold out and he kept his open heifers. He had a great reputation, 60 years of breeding and showing for many years, sold reg. bulls as cleanup to many farms, good milk records, and was hard pressed to get 1150 for his springers this past fall. I would hate for you to do something that there is no market for and to lose your shirt so to speak when you cannot sell them except at a loss. So that was why I was asking. [/QUOTE]
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