Grassfarmer
Well-known member
Getting around to spring processing time for our cattle and I thought I'd review what we use and ask what others use. We vaccinate cows annually pre breeding with an 8-way plus a 4-way modified live (BVD, IBR, BRSV and P13) cost $2.10 cow/year.
Calves have been getting 8-way, the same modified live the cows get plus a vaccine covering some respiratory diseases. We give the calves a repeat shot of all 3 just prior to weaning. Cost $10.40 calf/ year
The reason we used this system initially was our then vet advised this was the "gold standard" protocol for animal health. Now I'm more cynical and think it may be more about putting a gold standard in his pocket :x We always fence-line wean calves in a very low stress environment so I'm not too worried about getting into health problems there. In the past we sold a proportion of our calves in the late fall "preconditioned" and I always felt we got paid for at least half the drugs right there. I assumed because we never have sick calves that probably paid for the other half.
We are moving to selling all yearlings now so don't reckon on getting anything back from the market in premium for vaccinated calves. I will likely continue with the cows on the program they are on but am contemplating dropping the calves to an 8-way only program. Would save @$9 a head which adds up quickly over the herd. Seems to me that there is little point in preparing our calves so they can stand up to the high stress weaning, hauling to auction and then to feedlot regime when we aren't subjecting them to that. Any thoughts?
Calves have been getting 8-way, the same modified live the cows get plus a vaccine covering some respiratory diseases. We give the calves a repeat shot of all 3 just prior to weaning. Cost $10.40 calf/ year
The reason we used this system initially was our then vet advised this was the "gold standard" protocol for animal health. Now I'm more cynical and think it may be more about putting a gold standard in his pocket :x We always fence-line wean calves in a very low stress environment so I'm not too worried about getting into health problems there. In the past we sold a proportion of our calves in the late fall "preconditioned" and I always felt we got paid for at least half the drugs right there. I assumed because we never have sick calves that probably paid for the other half.
We are moving to selling all yearlings now so don't reckon on getting anything back from the market in premium for vaccinated calves. I will likely continue with the cows on the program they are on but am contemplating dropping the calves to an 8-way only program. Would save @$9 a head which adds up quickly over the herd. Seems to me that there is little point in preparing our calves so they can stand up to the high stress weaning, hauling to auction and then to feedlot regime when we aren't subjecting them to that. Any thoughts?
