With feeder and calf prices surging to record highs in 2025, producers are making vaccination decisions in a market that looks very different than it did a year ago.
Recent USDA market reports show feeder calves selling at strong levels: fall auction reports list 500 lb. to 600 lb. feeder steers at $450 to $550 per head and heifers of the same weight range at $350 to $450 per head. Profits per head look strong enough that many producers aren’t feeling the same pressure to protect every animal through to the next stage.
A vaccinated calf could bring $10 to $50 more per hundredweight at sale compared to an unvaccinated calf, and vaccine costs per calf are modest in many cases. The median bovine respiratory disease (BRD) vaccine costs in U.S. operations are in the single digits per head. However, producers tend to see the upfront cost of a vaccination that isn’t a part of their regular routine and shy away. This issue is exacerbated in large herds where the total vaccine cost can be in the thousands of dollars. There is also the issue of logistics — time, effort, labor — that go into vaccination programs that can deter producers from adding to their vaccine schedule.
An additional issue complicating this is the lack of consistent regulation surrounding vaccination status at sale. While some states have programs for animal vaccine certification, others have no such requirements, adding risk to any purchases. With a payout guaranteed at sale regardless of vaccination status, fear is brewing with veterinarians this fall for what a lack of preconditioning vaccines could mean for feedlot animal health.
Skipping vaccinations when prices are strong might seem harmless, but the cost simply shifts downstream. The biggest issue when it comes to vaccination status is BRD. Unvaccinated calves commingling after being brought to the feedlot can lead to an increased incidence of BRD outbreak. Even if this animal is vaccinated upon arrival, there is a three-to-four-week lag before that vaccine takes effect during which they are vulnerable. This leads to high morbidity and mortality during this period.
This emphasizes the importance of cooperation between cow-calf and feedlot producers. Both operations have the same goal: produce the best, healthiest animals. Improved herd management decisions, that benefit everyone, can be made with an open discussion between parties on a given animal’s health history at a cow-calf operation as well as observing how they perform once they arrive at the feedlot. Further, by establishing a history of providing healthy, well-performing calves including the use of preconditioning vaccines, cow-calf producers could build a relationship with a guaranteed feedlot buyer.
With calf prices being as high as they are, now could be the perfect time for producers to up their vaccine game and invest in herd health.
