what vaccines are a must

[lakeviewwalker]

I am new to beef cows I am starting with a cow and 3 replacement heifers. I bought them from a neighbor who is a large dairy farmer with a small hobby heard of beef (30 Cows). He told me that he vaccinates them once when he weans them of the cow and that is it. Never has a problem and has been doing it for 40 years. He obviously knows cows and how to take care of them with a 200+ cow dairy operation obviously he vaccinates them but I guess I am wondering if there is something that I should give these beef cows or just roll with it I trust him and his years of experience but I also hear about all of the vaccines given and I get nervous thanks for the help

 

[Lucky_P]

You can do as much or as little as you care to - every operation is different, and a vaccination program needs to be tailored to your needs, management, and risk factors.

I have a 'closed' herd; no fence-to-fence contact with any other cattle, only outside introduction to the herd in the past 18 years was a new bull, purchased 7 years ago.
Calves get two doses of a 5-way Clostridial bacterin/toxoid before they're 4 months of age. Steers and heifers that are not retained get Inforce 3 and a Pasteurella/Mannheimia bacterin/toxoid, then a booster of BoviShield Gold 5 two weeks later, just prior to weaning.
Cows and heifers get Spirovac L5 once a year, and a Clostridial booster every 3 years or so.
That's all I've felt that I needed, and it's served me well.
YMMV.

 

[snake67]

I am new to beef cows I am starting with a cow and 3 replacement heifers. I bought them from a neighbor who is a large dairy farmer with a small hobby heard of beef (30 Cows). He told me that he vaccinates them once when he weans them of the cow and that is it. Never has a problem and has been doing it for 40 years. He obviously knows cows and how to take care of them with a 200+ cow dairy operation obviously he vaccinates them but I guess I am wondering if there is something that I should give these beef cows or just roll with it I trust him and his years of experience but I also hear about all of the vaccines given and I get nervous thanks for the help

First and foremost - put your location up on the site.

My area may be very similar or very different - and that would make muy answer a good one or a schitty one - depending upon where you are living.

There are many who do just as your neighbour does. And there are many who do not even do as much. And there are many who do far more.

Lucky P and I are in complete agreement with his statement:

You can do as much or as little as you care to - every operation is different, and a vaccination program needs to be tailored to your needs, management, and risk factors.

Personally we do TASVAX which is an 8-way and nothing more.

We used to do far more but found it an expense that was not justified.

All operations are different and therefore you might very well consider maintaining the same where you are located.

It is easy to get carried away and yes, I can give you ALL the argumments why a full regime is important.

I can also counter those with reasons why they might not be required.

If you are truly worried, contact your local veterinarian - s/he is the person who knows your area and will likely provide you far better advice than most of us here - far from your home - could ever do.

My best

Bez