Cattle Annual Care

Annual Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of any cattle management program regardless of organic or non-organic status. Recommended vaccines can vary between breeding cows, slaughter cattle, and disease risks associated with your area or herd. Protecting your cows from these diseases will not only reduce herd loss but will increase productivity. While most vaccinations are available over the counter, it is important to consult with your veterinarian to discuss your herd's health and establish a relationship for your herds health. Your veterinarian can also provide you vaccines that are guaranteed to be properly handled.

All vaccines should be boostered according to the labeled directions to ensure the vaccine works effectively.

Breeding Cows & Replacement Heifers

Common Vaccines:

Blackleg (Clostridial Vaccine): Various species of the bacterial genus Clostridium can cause severe and often fatal diseases in cattle . Bacteria can form spores that survive in the soil for years. Cattle can become infected by consuming clostridial spores in contaminated pastures or feed, or when spores are introduced into a wound. Both the bacteria and the toxins they produce can cause disease. Treatment options are limited, so prevention is key.
Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by numerous strains of Leptospira and is often found in stagnant water. The infection can be zoonotic, meaning it can be passed from animals to people. Cattle of any age can be affected, but is most evident in breeding cattle due to loss of fertility. Infected urine and placental fluids serve as sources of infection. Some infections may be subclinical, meaning there are no signs while other cattle can show signs such as fever, anorexia, depression, dark-red urine, abortion, stillbirths, weak offspring and prolonged calving interval.
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV): BVDV is a highly contagious virus that and can contribute to reproductive disease (abortions and birth defects), respiratory disease and, less commonly, diarrhea. Most infections are acquired after birth, and are transient, meaning they only last a few weeks, however a small percentage of infections are acquired in the uterus, and the calves are persistently infected (PI), shedding the virus for their entire lives. Infected animals can shed the virus in saliva, nasal and eye discharge, urine, feces, milk, semen and aborted fetal tissues, exposing other animals (horizontal transmission). Most infected cattle show no signs, however, signs can vary from mild to severe, but relate to reproductive disease (abortions and birth defects) or respiratory disease. PI calves can develop mucosal disease, resulting in diarrhea, digestive tract ulceration and often death. There is no treatment for BVD, which is why prevention is so important. Along with vaccination, consider testing new cattle in your herd and isolating any cattle that you suspect may be infected
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR): IBR is a contagious viral infection caused by bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) and is often a contributing factor in bovine respiratory disease complex. The virus is spread through nasal and genital discharge, fetal fluids, embryos and semen and can infect the ovaries and placenta, leading to late-term abortions in pregnant cattle.
Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV): BRSV has a predilection for the lower respiratory tract, where it can cause varying degrees of pneumonia by itself. Secondary bacterial infections, frequently involving Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, causes disease of greater severity or death. Transmission is via respiratory aerosols or from direct contact with infected cattle. This disease can cause severe disease in calves, so protecting these young calves with intranasal BRSV vaccines is important.

Risk Based Vaccinations:

Brucellosis: Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes reproductive related symptoms (abortions, still birth, weak calves, poor milk yield). Vaccinations must be administered by a veterinarian to heifers from 4-11 months of age. Vaccinated heifers receive a USDA tattoo in the right ear and an orange USDA 840 tag in the left ear. While many states have been declared Brucellosis free and no longer require vaccination within the state, most show cattle are required to be vaccinated and an unvaccinated cow may require testing to be transported to another state.
Pink Eye (IBK or Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis): Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or pinkeye, is a common, highly contagious ocular disease affecting primarily calves. Primarily caused by Moraxella bovis, infection may lead to vision loss in acute cases. The incubation period is typically 2 to 3 days, with a small opaque area appearing on the cornea within two days. Corneal lesions are typically central in location. Vaccine selection for your area is important due to vaccine strains varying from region to region.
Anaplasmosis: Recommended in cattle that are in a heavy tick-burdened area with a history of Anaplasmosis infections in the herd.
Fusobacterium (Hoof rot)
Tetanus
Rabies: Recommended in cattle that are frequently handled

Breeding Bulls

Breeding bulls require the same vaccination as breeding cows & replacement heifers.

Steers & Non-Breeding Heifers

Blackleg (Clostridial Vaccine): Various species of the bacterial genus Clostridium can cause severe and often fatal diseases in cattle . Bacteria can form spores that survive in the soil for years. Cattle can become infected by consuming clostridial spores in contaminated pastures or feed, or when spores are introduced into a wound. Both the bacteria and the toxins they produce can cause disease. Treatment options are limited, so prevention is key. *Note* It is recommended that bull calves not be banded/castrated at the same time as the first black leg vaccine. Castration should be done during during or after the booster vaccine is administered to reduce the risk of black leg.

Parasite Management

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Nutritional Management

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