Vaccination

BQA at the Chute: 10 Tips for Spring Calf Processing

Mon, 04 May 2026 13:52:42 GMT

Spring calf processing is a critical window for establishing herd immunity, but its success depends entirely on the details. By following Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) principles, producers can maximize vaccine efficacy and protect carcass value through precise needle selection, proper injection site placement and strict adherence to the “one-hour rule” for modified-live vaccines.

“It will soon be time to process spring-born calves, which brings up the topic of best management practices and following BQA principles for all treatments,” says Chris Clark, Iowa State University Extension and outreach beef specialist, in a recent Growing Beef Newsletter. “The overall concepts are pretty simple, but it takes attention to detail to get the most out of each treatment and to ensure our product is as safe, wholesome and palatable as possible.”

Clark shares these 10 simple reminders for spring processing:

Follow label directions for all treatments, including injections, implants, pour-ons, insecticide ear tags, etc.
Administer all subcutaneous and intramuscular injections in front of the shoulder in the injection site triangle of the neck.
Select the appropriate needle diameter and length based on the weight of the animals being treated, viscosity of products being injected and routes of administration. Needles should be small enough to minimize tissue damage but large enough to prevent bending and breaking. The diameter should be appropriate for the viscosity of the product, and the length should be appropriate for the route of administration. For young calves weighing less than 300 pounds, 18-gauge needles are reasonable for most vaccines. For subcutaneous injections, ½ inch to ¾ inch needle length should work well, and for intramuscular injections, ¾ inch to 1 inch needle length should be appropriate. Keep in mind the greater the needle gauge, the smaller the diameter and vice versa.

Recommended needle size based on animal weight, viscosity of product and route of administration.
(BQA Field Guide)
Practice injection technique and pay attention to the angle of injection and the feel of the needle within the tissue. Subcutaneous injections should be applied at approximately 45 degrees to the body and intramuscular injections should be applied at approximately 90 degrees to the body. With experience, you can learn to feel whether you are in that subcutaneous space or whether you have entered the underlying muscle.
Change needles frequently. At a minimum, needles should be changed every 10 to 15 head. Additionally, a new needle should always be applied before refilling a syringe and any bent or burred needles should be immediately replaced.
For reusable syringes, clean well after each use by thoroughly rinsing with hot water. Refrain from using soaps and disinfectants because residues of these substances can damage vaccines and reduce vaccine efficacy.
Handle vaccines with care. When using modified live vaccines, mix only what you can use in an hour. Keep vaccines at steady, reasonable temperatures and take care to avoid freezing, excessive heat and exposure to UV light. Reconstitute modified live vaccines with sterile transfer needles and roll or invert gently to mix rather than shaking vigorously.
When possible, choose subcutaneous routes of administration over intramuscular routes. Some products are labeled to be given either way and when you have the choice, choose subcutaneous. Any insertion of a needle or injection of a substance into muscle tissue will cause tissue damage, potentially impacting the quality of that product.
Document complete processing/treatment records, including animal or group identification, treatment date, products administered, withdrawal times, earliest date animals would clear withdrawal times, dose administered, route of administration, name of person administering drugs and any prescription information.
Do not mix different vaccines or drugs in the same syringe or use a syringe to administer different products without washing in between. Try to place injections at least 4 inches apart from other injections to avoid product mixing/interaction within animal tissue.

Why Your Chute-Side Manner Matters

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:21:24 GMT

Good chute-side manner isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about how cattle experience handling, how accurately treatments are delivered and how safely people can work. During a chute-side demonstration at CattleCon in Nashville, Tenn., Ron Gill and Paige Pratt emphasized that many of the most common problems seen later — leakage, injection-site reactions, poor efficacy and safety risks — start with small decisions made at the chute.

From how handlers move around cattle to how needles and syringes are selected and used, chute-side technique plays a central role in animal welfare and Beef Quality Assurance outcomes.

1. Movement Around the Cow in the Chute Matters

Handlers continue to influence cattle behavior even after the headgate closes. Gill showed how small changes in handler position — stepping forward, stepping back or changing angle — can prompt cattle to adjust their stance and head position. Using your movement when the animal is inside the chute can improve neck access and reduce resistance, allowing procedures to be performed more calmly and accurately without escalating stress.

“One thing you can do a lot of times, you can step forward,” says Gill, who proceeded to move to the front of the cow. “Notice that the animal steps back when I do that, and then I’ve got better neck access.”

2. Proper Restraint Determines Accuracy and Safety

Accurate injections and safe handling depend on adequate restraint. When cattle are not properly positioned, injections are more likely to leak or be misplaced and handlers are placed at greater risk. The speakers caution against leaning into crowded or partially restrained animals and emphasize that rushing procedures undermines both safety and efficacy.

“If you have to lean over in there to give a shot and one of them throws her head up or jumps, then that’s where people get hurt,” says Gill, who advises against working cattle in line for the chute without restraint, even if they’re packed in tight.

3. Needle and Syringe Selection Is a Chute-Side Decision

Choosing the correct needle and syringe is part of chute-side technique, not an afterthought. Needle gauge and length must match cattle size, skin thickness and injection route. Inappropriate needle selection or damaged equipment increases pain, leakage and treatment failure, particularly when combined with poor restraint or rushed technique.

“The lighter those cattle are, probably the smaller gauge, the smaller diameter we want,” says Pratt. She also highlights the importance of needle length, to make sure the injectable is getting to the right depth, and syringe tip style, favoring Luer lock.

4. How Syringes Are Handled Affects Whether Products Work

Syringe handling influences dosing accuracy and product effectiveness. Common chute-side mistakes include exposure to sunlight, contamination during filling and improper cleaning practices. These errors can reduce vaccine efficacy before the product ever enters the animal, making careful syringe management a critical part of chute-side manner.

“Once you sterilize these, don’t be pulling the plunger back until you have a needle in a bottle,” Gill says. “What have you just done? You sucked all the dust out of the corral into your syringe.”

5. Chute-Side Manner Reflects Management Priorities

Chute-side habits reflect how seriously an operation takes stewardship and animal welfare. Consistent techniques such as using the same locations, spacing injections appropriately and avoiding shortcuts help prevent long-term problems such as abscesses and lost performance.

“If you’re going to be doing it, spending the money ... do it correctly,” Gill says.

Refining these small chute-side decisions ensures that every animal is treated with the respect it deserves and every investment is given the best chance to succeed.

Winter Herd Health: Optimizing Cow-Calf Vaccination for Spring Success

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:12:31 GMT

Winter often brings renewed focus on vaccination — not because disease risk suddenly appears, but because management decisions make it more visible. Calving preparations, breeding plans, housing changes and closer observation of cattle prompt producers to ask a familiar question: Are we covered on vaccines?

It’s a reasonable place to start, but not where effective planning ends. Vaccines are a critical part of herd health, yet their success depends on how well they align with animal condition, management practices and disease risk. On a recent episode of “ Cattlemen and Veterinarians ,” Dr. Jason Banta of Texas A&M spoke on the opportunity for veterinarians to reframe vaccination as strategy, not just product choice.

The Role of Vaccination in Herd Health Programs

“The vaccine protocol is going to vary a little bit depending on the risk level of the operation and where you’re located, but I do think there are some core vaccines that all cow-calf producers probably need to think about including in their operations,” Banta says.

These include clostridial vaccines that protect against pathogens that persist in the environment and viral respiratory vaccines that play a key role in reducing clinical disease, reproductive loss and downstream performance impacts.

“Spores from those clostridial organisms are in the environment, and so our animals are typically always exposed to that,” Banta says. “When we think about clostridial vaccines, we’ll see either a seven way clostridial vaccine, an eight way clostridial vaccine or a nine way clostridial vaccine. It’s important to read the label to see exactly what’s in there.”

Usually, the difference between a seven- and eight-way vaccine is coverage for Clostridium hemolyticum, which causes redwater disease. The nine-way vaccine often includes tetanus, which may or may not be relevant to an operation.

Banta also emphasizes the importance of vaccinating the cows along with the calves, as antibodies can be passed on in the colostrum. This is especially important when it comes to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bovine viral diarrhea as these can cause reproductive losses.

Geographic Threats are Important for Herd Vaccine Plans

“One that we deal with in my area is lepto, so that’s a routine pathogen that we vaccinate for,” Banta says. “It’s important because it causes reproductive losses in the cow herd, but it can also cause the death of younger calves.”

Above all, Banta encourages open discourse between producer and veterinarian to discuss which vaccines are most relevant to their operation, noting that these could change over time.

“As a minimum, I would think about the clustered organisms and then the viral respiratory organisms, and then if you need lepto or anything else, that would be a herd specific situation,” Banta says.

Vaccine recommendations are most effective when matched to the conditions cattle will face, not simply the diseases producers want to avoid.

Immune response is reduced in cattle experiencing nutritional deficiencies, stress or concurrent disease. Winter conditions — changes in forage quality, weather stress and closer confinement — can amplify those challenges.

Strategic Planning for Spring Herd Health

As winter management transitions into spring preparations, the goal shifts from maintaining the status quo to building a foundation for the upcoming production cycle. While Banta’s advice provides a technical road map of core versus situational vaccines, the true value lies in timing and execution. Winter provides a window for producers and veterinarians to conduct a herd health audit together.

To ensure your vaccination strategy is effective, consider these key pillars of a winter health audit:

Assess nutritional status: Verify that cattle have the energy and mineral reserves necessary to mount a robust immune response.
Review regional risks: Discuss whether local pressures require specific additions to the core protocol.
Evaluate management stress: Identify environmental challenges or handling practices that could compromise the efficacy of the health program.
Audit records and timing: Review previous disease challenges to ensure the timing of vaccine protocols align with the herd’s peak periods of risk.

Ultimately, a general vaccination schedule is a starting point, but a strategic plan is a competitive advantage. By focusing on the why and the when during the winter months, you ensure the investment in animal health yields the highest possible return when the spring calving season arrives.

Managing Endotoxin Load in Cattle Vaccination Programs

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:14:13 GMT

Calves that look rough the day after processing are a familiar sight in both cow-calf and feedlot systems. While infection, handling stress and weather are often blamed, another contributor is increasingly part of veterinary conversations: endotoxin load associated with vaccination.

“Think about if you got the stomach flu and you’re sitting on the couch all day and you just don’t feel good. Same thing with these calves,” says Dr. Jeremi Wurtz, beef cattle technical consultant for Elanco Animal Health, when describing vaccine sweat from endotoxin stacking.

Endotoxin exposure is neither new nor is it inherently harmful. The challenge arises when cumulative exposure overwhelms an animal’s ability to respond appropriately. Understanding how endotoxin stacking occurs and how vaccine design influences that risk gives veterinarians another tool to fine-tune herd health programs.

Why does Endotoxin Load Matter?

Endotoxins, primarily lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are components of the outer membrane and cell wall of gram-negative bacteria. These can make their way into an animal’s system through natural pathogen exposure or through vaccination with killed gram-negative bacterial vaccines.

The concern is not exposure itself, but the cumulative physiologic response when multiple sources are introduced close together.

“Say we vaccinate a calf with a Mannheimia haemolytica vaccine, and then we also vaccinate that same calf with a somnus vaccine, and then we give him a Moraxella vaccine,” Wurtz says. “Sometimes there will be multiple different isolates in those vaccines, and so you’re really loading up the additive effects of those endotoxins.”

When this happens, the endotoxin load can pass a threshold causing that calf to react negatively.

What Endotoxin Load Looks Like in the Field

Clinically, endotoxin reactions can resemble early respiratory disease. Affected calves might be off feed, lethargic and slow to recover after vaccination. Timing is one of the most useful clues: Endotoxin-related responses typically appear about 24 hours post-vaccination.

“It’s usually the next day,” says Wurtz, noting the events surrounding vaccination also influence calf response. “The stress of handling those calves through the chute, maybe going from one pen to another, maybe there was a shipping event, these stressors can cause calves to have more sensitivity to endotoxins.”

The overlap in presentation with other ailments explains why endotoxin effects can go unrecognized or be attributed solely to handling or disease pressure.

Endotoxin Stacking

Endotoxin stacking most often occurs when multiple gram-negative vaccines are administered at the same time. Each product contributes its own endotoxin load and the effects are additive.

“If one vaccine has 80,000 endotoxin units, and the other has another 80,000, and another 80,000, all of a sudden you are now going to really push that calf into a susceptible state,” Wurtz says. “Any time we can minimize the stacking or loading of endotoxins is pretty important.”

In practice, spacing vaccines is not always feasible. Labor, chute time and cattle flow frequently dictate protocol designs, making vaccine selection an important variable.

Is there a Magic Number for Endotoxin Load?

There is no single endotoxin threshold that predicts clinical response.

“To say ‘oh, you have to be under 180,000 endotoxin units’ is not a real proper thing to say because it’s relative,” Wurtz says. “A 900-lb. yearling calf is going to be more tolerant to endotoxin loads than a 300-lb. calf that just got weaned.”

This variability underscores why endotoxin management is best viewed as risk reduction rather than strict compliance. Along with stress, immune and nutritional status also play a role on the endotoxin load a calf can handle.

Vaccine Handling Mistakes can Increase Endotoxins

Vaccine handling plays a critical role in endotoxin release. Freezing, thawing and aggressive agitation can damage cellular components, increasing the amount of free endotoxin delivered at injection.

“A lot of times a vaccine will say shake before using. That doesn’t mean to take it and shake it like crazy, because that can damage the antigens in there and release a lot more free endotoxin as well,” Wurtz advises. “You want to just lightly turn and rotate those vaccines so you don’t overagitate and damage those antigens.”

Proper refrigeration and storage is also important for optimizing antigen delivery by avoiding damage and minimizing free endotoxins within the vaccine.

How Low-Endotoxin Vaccines are Designed

Low-endotoxin vaccines aim to reduce exposure by limiting unnecessary bacterial components. Recombinant and subunit approaches use only the specific antigen required to stimulate immunity, avoiding much of the LPS contained in whole-cell vaccines.

The Nuplura PH and Nuplura PH+5 vaccines from Elanco are examples of these low-endotoxin vaccines. They use recombinant technology to produce and isolate leukotoxin proteins for vaccine incorporation instead of including the whole bacterial cell.

“Any time you have a full cell or cellular components in a vaccine, you’re going to have the risk of having additional endotoxin,” Wurtz says.

Practical Takeaways

Low-endotoxin vaccines are not a replacement for sound herd health planning. They are one component of risk management, alongside careful product selection, realistic stacking decisions and proper handling.

“There’s no magic number to be under for endotoxin load, but anytime we can lower it is a good opportunity,” Wurtz says.

By matching vaccine design to calf risk, veterinarians can reduce unnecessary inflammatory stress while preserving protective immunity, especially when conditions are less than ideal.

The Impact of Parasitic Worms on Bovine Vaccine Efficacy

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:29:26 GMT

Vaccines are relied on to protect cattle from economically important diseases, yet field experience often reveals that even well-vaccinated herds can underperform. A new review in Veterinary Sciences by Freire and Capozzo highlights an underappreciated factor that could help explain these inconsistencies: How common parasitic worms subtly reshape the bovine immune system and diminish vaccine efficacy.

While vaccination remains a cornerstone of disease control in livestock, experimental trials often involve young, healthy animals housed in controlled conditions. In contrast, commercial cattle populations face constant exposure to pathogens, environmental stressors and chronic parasitic infections that are rarely accounted for in vaccine evaluation.

Among these, Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) and Ostertagia ostertagi (a gastrointestinal nematode) are pervasive in grazing herds worldwide. Both can establish persistent, subclinical infections that don’t always manifest obvious clinical signs but can profoundly influence immune function and responses to vaccination.

How Helminths Alter the Bovine Immune Response

Chronic helminth infections are characterized by a shift toward a regulatory Th2-biased immune environment and suppression of protective Th1-driven responses.

Cytokine Shifts: Chronic parasitism increases regulatory cytokines like IL-10 and TGF-β, which dampen inflammation but can also suppress the cellular response needed for effective vaccine priming.
Suppression of antigen presentation: Helminth products reduce the ability of antigen-presenting cells to activate T cells, blunting the cascade that leads to memory formation.
Memory and antibody quality: By promoting regulatory networks, infection can limit development of high-avidity antibodies and long-lived memory cells, critical for lasting vaccine protection.

Parasite Profile: Fasciola hepatica (Liver Fluke)

Fasciola hepatica is widespread in grazing herds and impacts productivity through liver damage. It causes subclinical infections that silently influence immune function. The review highlights that F. hepatica infection upregulates regulatory cytokines like IL-10 and TNF-β, suppressing proinflammatory pathways needed for effective vaccine-induced immunity.

Research indicates liver fluke infection can reduce antibody titers and impair responses to vaccines against bovine respiratory syncytial virus and bovine viral diarrhea virus. Additionally, F. hepatica secretes products that downregulate dendritic cell maturation and interferon signaling, weakening the host’s ability to generate robust immune responses. These effects are often invisible in standard fecal or clinical assessments, making fluke presence an underestimated factor in vaccine efficacy.

Parasite Profile: Ostertagia ostertagi (Brown Stomach Worm)

Ostertagia ostertagi is one of the most significant parasites affecting cattle, especially in temperate regions. It develops in the abomasal gland and disrupts normal digestive processes.

Studies summarized in the review show that O. ostertagi excretory/secretory products alter macrophage activation, downregulate co-stimulatory molecules and diminish proinflammatory cytokines like IL-1 and IL-6, while boosting IL-10. This environment limits T-cell proliferation, decreased IFN-γ and TNF-∝, and can reduce antibody quality. Consequently, even cattle with complete vaccination histories can have suboptimal protective immunity, particularly against vaccines that depend on cellular or Th1 responses.

Practical Field Implications: Why Vaccines ‘Fail’

This review highlights several practical considerations

Vaccine ‘failure’ might reflect immune modulation, not product inefficacy
Standard fecal egg counts might not reflect immunologically significant parasite activity
Deworming prior to vaccination could help in high-burden settings, but evidence is not uniform
Herd-to-herd variability in vaccine outcomes is expected
Integrated herd health planning — coordinating parasite control, vaccination timing and nutrition — optimizes outcomes

Optimizing Vaccine ROI Through Integrated Management

Helminth-associated immune modulation does not diminish the importance of vaccines. Instead, it emphasizes the need for a more nuanced understanding of vaccine performance in real-world conditions, where co-infections and immune context shape outcomes.

Vaccines do not act in isolation. Integrating parasite management into herd health planning, especially in regions endemic for F. hepatica and O. ostertagi, can help maximize immune responsiveness and ensure cattle receive the full protective benefit of vaccination programs.

Managing Disease Risk Before It Arrives

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:33:17 GMT

As cattle move more frequently across regions and production systems, veterinarians are increasingly tasked with helping clients prevent the introduction of infectious disease that can persist silently and erode herd performance over time. In many cases, the greatest risk is not an outbreak, but the gradual establishment of a pathogen that is difficult or impossible to eliminate once introduced.

While biosecurity includes people, equipment and environmental considerations, animal movement remains the most important driver of infectious disease risk. This was the central topic of discussion on a recent episode of Dr. Dan Thomson’s “DocTalk.”

Why Animal Movement Drives Disease Risk

“Our biggest risk is going to come from the animal itself,” said Dr. Dustin Loy, director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “This is going to be something that’s going to move with the animal and be transmitted from that animal to the rest of the herd.”

Transport and commingling represent peak risk periods for disease transmission. The stressors associated with hauling, dietary change and social disruption can suppress immune function and allow latent or subclinical infections to emerge. When cattle with different exposure histories mix, pathogens can spread rapidly through immunologically naive groups.

“If we can make sure that those animals we’re sourcing have a herd health program, they’ve had those calfhood vaccines and the boosters, that they have a high level of immunity to the common diseases, that’s going to really help us prevent some amount of problems,” Loy says.

However, while vaccination programs reduce risk, they are insufficient for a number of diseases of biosecurity concern. Performing diagnostic testing before animals are purchased or moved can help identify infected animals before they enter herds.

Diseases That Define Biosecurity Risk

Several diseases are consistently central to cattle biosecurity planning due to their transition dynamics, diagnostic challenges, and long-term herd impact.

Johne’s Disease

Johne’s disease remains one of the most difficult infections to control as clinical signs don’t appear until years after the animal has been infected.

“The challenge with Johne’s is that those calves are infected when they’re a month or less in age,” Loy says. “We’re not able to test those calves until they’re at least a year and a half, and usually we want to wait until they’re two or three years old just to know if they’re infected. And so that’s a real diagnostic challenge: being able to identify those animals early.”

Due to this prolonged subclinical phase, infected animals can shed Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, contaminating the environment and exposing young calves. Clinical signs include progressive weight loss, decreased production and chronic diarrhea, with no effective treatment. Because diagnostic sensitivity improves with age, Loy says fecal testing at pregnancy checks provides a practical surveillance point for identifying infected adults and limiting further transmission.

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is increasingly detected outside historically endemic regions, likely due to cattle movement. Caused by Anaplasma marginale, this disease is transmitted mechanically by ticks, biting flies and contaminated instruments. Calves exposed early often develop immunity with minimal clinical disease, but infection in naive cattle can cause severe anemia, abortions and sudden death.

Importantly, vectors can only transmit the organism if infected animals are present, making the testing of incoming cattle a key biosecurity step to prevent establishing a persistent reservoir within a herd.

“If we don’t have animals with anaplasmosis coming into the area, the ticks don’t transmit anaplasmosis,” Thomson says.

Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)

Despite routine vaccination, BVD remains a biosecurity concern due to persistently infected (PI) animals.

“You get cows that are infected when they’re pregnant, they infect the fetus, and then the fetus does not have an immune response to the virus, so that calf is born infected. It never clears the virus and continues to shed that throughout its life,” Loy explains.

PI animals serve as powerful sources of infection, contributing to reproductive failure, immunosuppression, respiratory disease and poor performance, even in vaccinated herds. Ear-notch testing is a practical, cost-effective method for identifying PI animals prior to commingling.

Bovine Leukosis Virus (BLV)

BLV transmission occurs through blood transfer, including needles, equipment and biting insects. While many infected cattle remain asymptomatic, a subset develop lymphoma later in life, reducing longevity and productivity. Screening animals intended for long-term retention, such as breeding stock or embryo recipients, can help prevent gradual spread within expanding herds.

Core Biosecurity Questions for Veterinarians

When advising clients on cattle purchases or movements, consider asking the following questions:

Where are the animals coming from and have they been commingled with cattle from other sources?
Are these animals being moved between groups, pastures or regions with different disease exposure histories?
Do the source animals have an established herd health program, including appropriate core vaccinations and boosters?
Can diagnostic testing be used before or shortly after movement to reduce quarantine time and uncertainty?

Effective biosecurity does not eliminate all disease risk. Instead, it allows for the identification of the most consequential threats early, before they become entrenched, expensive and difficult to control.

5 Tips for Vaccine Handling

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:53:40 GMT

Vaccines are one of the most effective and economical tools available to maintain herd health, reduce disease loss and support animal well-being. However, even the best vaccine can fail if it’s not handled correctly. Dr. Jon Townsend, dairy technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, recently touched on the topic during a Dairy Calf and Heifer Association webinar .

“You’ve made the investment in those vaccines. You want to get the best response out of them. You want to get the best cow health possible,” Townsend says.

Whether you’re working with calves, replacement heifers or mature cattle, following consistent vaccine handling practices ensures your investment delivers the intended immunity. Here are five key guidelines to keep in mind.

1. Store Vaccines at the Right Temperature

Vaccines are sensitive, biological products. Many must be kept refrigerated at a specific temperature range to remain effective.

Use a dedicated refrigerator (not the one used for drinks and lunches), as frequent door opening causes temperature swings.
Place a thermometer in the fridge to monitor temperature regularly.
Avoid storing vaccines in the refrigerator door where temperatures fluctuate the most.

2. Don’t Mix all your Vaccine at Once

Many livestock vaccines are sold as two-part products. Once mixed, the live organisms begin to break down.

“Only mix what you’ll use in the next one to two hours if you have to mix up a vaccine,” Townsend advises. “Your modified live vaccines you have to mix. So don’t mix a huge bottle that’s going to take the whole day to use. By the time you get to the last dose that vaccine has potentially degraded, and you won’t get the same response that you would have immediately after reconstitution.”

3. Keep Mixed Vaccines Cool and Out of Sunlight

Heat and sunlight can rapidly damage vaccines, particularly modified-live vaccines.

Keep syringes and mixed bottles in an insulated cooler with cold packs.
Do not place vaccine bottles on the chute, in your shirt pocket, or on a truck dashboard.
Check your cooler throughout the day to ensure cold packs are still cold and not melted.

Unsure about what cooler to use? Consider making it yourself.

“You can either buy a fancy one, or you can make one yourself with an Igloo cooler and drill some holes,” Townsend says. In the end, the goal is the same. “It’s really important to keep that vaccine cool. If you’re using a multi-dose syringe, make sure you’re keeping [it] cool between calves.”

4. Maintain Needle Cleanliness

Contamination can destroy vaccine potency and introduce infection to animals.

Use new clean needles when drawing vaccine from the bottle.
Do not set uncapped syringes or needles down on surfaces like tailgates or barn rails.
If a needle becomes dirty, bent or touches anything questionable, replace it.

“We need to be thinking about changing out needles more frequently than [we] did 30 years ago,” Townsend says. “Then disinfect the needle and syringes after use or dispose of them, and think about disinfecting multi-dose syringes.”

Townsend also highlights the importance of making sure there is no disinfectant residue remaining after cleaning as it has the potential to inactivate your vaccines. Producers and veterinarians should work together to set up protocols for syringe reuse.

5. Use Sharp, Appropriate Needles

A sharp needle ensures a clean injection and reduces animal discomfort.

Replace needles regularly and check for sharpness.
Choose needle size based on animal size, vaccine viscosity and route of administration:
- Subcutaneous: typically 16 to 18 gauge, ½" to ¾"
- Intramuscular: typically 16 to 20 gauge, 1" to 1½"

Townsend specifically warns about the development of burrs, small barbs or defects that can catch on skin, on your needles after too many uses.

“If you wouldn’t want it going into your arm for a vaccine, you shouldn’t be putting it into a cow or calf either,” he says.

Overall, the immunity an animal gains from vaccination is only as good as the care taken in handling the product. Proper storage, careful mixing, maintaining temperature and using clean, sharp needles are straightforward steps that protect your investment and your herd.

First Generic Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Approved by the FDA

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:43:04 GMT

Updated October 8, 2025

Bimedia US has now launched Gamrozyne, an FDA approved antibiotic (gamithromycin) injectable solution for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. Additionally, Gamrozyne has been approved to help control respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with M. haemolytica and P. multocida.

This marks the first FDA-approved generic version of Zactran (gamithromycin; Boehringer Ingelheim) injectable solution and has been determined to be bioequivalent.

Gamithromycin has been shown to reach target lung tissue within 30 minutes and delivers 10 days of treatment with a single subcutaneous injection.

How To Recognize BRD

BRD is the most common and costly respiratory disease affecting the North American beef cattle industry. Delayed diagnosis and treatment increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections and can lead to severe illness and death. Clinical signs of BRD in cattle depend on the age of the animal, the causative organism(s) and the stage of the disease. However, the general clinical signs are:

Fever (over 40°C/104°F)
Labored breathing
Nasal and/or ocular discharge
Depression and/or dullness
Lack of appetite
Rapid, shallow breathing
Coughing
Salivation

Of these symptoms, fever in cattle is most commonly attributed to BRD and can be one of the earliest signs of disease. Further, the type of coughing can be indicative of the severity of the infection. In early cases, the lungs and airways are painful, so the animal will try to clear the airway with tentative, soft coughing. Later stage infection is characterized by more prominent coughing, and at this point, treatment is difficult.

BRD Prevention

To prevent BRD in cow-calf operations, close collaboration between the veterinarian and the producer is key. Developing a prevention-based herd-health program can improve the reproductive performance of the cow herd and help prevent illness in pre-weaned calves. This program should include:

A vaccination program tailored to the risk factors of your herd
Adequate herd nutrition (including assuring passive transfer with colostrum intake)
Consistent cattle handling to reduce stress
Testing for and removing cattle persistently infected with BRD

Your Next Read: Risk Factors Associated with BRD in Preweaned Calves

Bull Tests Positive for Brucellosis: Herd Quarantined and Investigation Continues

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:09:19 GMT

On Friday, August 15, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) received confirmation that an animal from a Beaverhead County herd within Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) tested positive for brucellosis.

According to a press release , the herd has been placed under quarantine pending the completion of an epidemiological investigation.

The positive bull was identified as a brucellosis suspect during required testing at a livestock market in late July. The animal was euthanized and taken for necropsy at the Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory where tissues were collected and sent to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, for confirmatory testing. NVSL was able to grow the Brucella abortus organism from one of the lymph nodes collected from the animal.

The disease investigation will include testing and tracing of animal contacts and movements to ensure the disease is not present in other livestock herds. MDOL will work with the affected operation to minimize the impact of this diagnosis by conducting a tailored and focused investigation.

Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA)

(Montana Department of Livestock)

Montana’s DSA exists due to the risk of disease spillover from infected wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). Program testing requirements help ensure cases of brucellosis in livestock are detected before animals leave the DSA. Successful early detection provides confidence to Montana’s trading partners that any Montana cattle they may receive are brucellosis free. Brucellosis causes reproductive issues in livestock including abortions, still births and neonatal mortalities.

“While detections of brucellosis are a hardship on operations, this detection is still a reflection of the success of our state brucellosis program,” says Dr. Brenee Peterson, MDOL veterinarian. “Through the work of DSA producers and local veterinarians, we continue to detect the disease early and prevent the export of a brucellosis-infected animal to one of our trading partners.”

Previous Brucellosis Detection

This herd is the 14^th brucellosis-affected herd confirmed in Montana since the implementation of the DSA in 2010. The most recent detection was within the DSA in Madison County in April 2023. While the source of infection for this latest infected bull has not yet been determined, DNA genotyping and epidemiological investigations have concluded the previous 13 infections came from wild elk. Prior investigations have also confirmed brucellosis has not spread to neighboring herds through fence-line contact.

What is Brucellosis?

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (AHIS) brucellosis (also known as contagious abortion or Bang’s disease) is a costly disease of livestock and wildlife. It is caused by a group of bacteria in the genus Brucella. The disease has significant consequences for animal health, public health and international trade.

Brucellosis occurs mainly in cattle, bison and swine, but can affect other animals (cervids, goats, sheep and horses) as well as people.

In cattle and bison, the bacteria of concern is Brucella abortus. It has been present in the U.S. since the 1930s. A longstanding national eradication program mostly eliminated the disease in U.S. cattle. Today, only occasional spillover cases occur in cattle and other livestock near the GYA. Wild bison and elk in the GYA are the last remaining reservoir of this disease in the U.S.

According to the APHIS website , when signs do appear, they’re most obvious in pregnant animals. Here’s what to look for:

Abortion (usually at five to seven months of pregnancy)
Birth of weak, unhealthy calves
Decreased milk production
Weight loss
Poor conception rates or infertility
Retained afterbirths with resulting uterine infections
Enlarged, arthritic joints (occasionally)

“Appearance alone isn’t an effective way to detect brucellosis,” according to the website. “Infected animals may appear healthy, even during pregnancy. However, they can still harbor and spread infectious bacteria and serve as dangerous sources of infection.”

Producers or owners who suspect an animal disease should contact their veterinarian to evaluate the animal or herd.

Success From The Start: Calf Health Starts Before Birth

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:11:35 GMT

If a calf struggles during its first 60 days of life, it’s going to carry that through all phases of production. Starting a calf, whether in a traditional beef or beef-on-dairy scenario, the right way is paramount to the lifetime health of that animal.

This is the message stressed by Dr. Taylor Engle, Four Star Veterinary Services, during episode eight of “ The Future of Beef Show ” podcast. He says success starts before a calf is born.

“There are a lot of really good genetics in the beef industry we can use. However, if you put that calf in an environment to fail, genetics does not play a factor,” he says. “We have to do everything right from an environmental piece to maximize the genetic potential.”

Check out the podcast to learn more about these five key messages discussed by Engle and the podcast’s hosts:

Environment matters more than genetics. Engle emphasizes if you put a calf in an environment to fail, genetics won’t save it. Management and early life conditions are critical to an animal’s success.
Calf health starts before birth. Proper care of the cow before calving, quality colostrum and a clean birthing environment are crucial for a calf’s lifetime health.

Engle encourages producers to think about the cow’s condition before, during and after breeding.

“Everyone gets really fired up — and rightfully so — about colostrum. Not all colostrum is created equal,” he says. “It’s what we are doing to set that cow up to have the best colostrum for that calf. Whether it’s beef-on-dairy or native, the right vaccines for the right diseases at the right time matters.”
Communication is key across the production chain. Sharing information about calf health, vaccination history and management practices between different stages of production can significantly improve overall animal performance.

Engle encourages producers to record vaccination and treatment information and then share it. Communicating with the feedyard is important to help the feeder decide on how to treat cattle.
Don’t be quick to treat — understand the root cause. Instead of immediately administering antibiotics, veterinarians should first investigate the underlying management or environmental issues causing health problems.

“We were trained to think it’s a disease, and more often times than not, there is a disease present. But there’s been something along the process where we have stressed that animal and caused disease,” he explains. “We’re always looking at it from an environmental standpoint and a management standpoint — the calf isn’t the culprit. What’s going on? Why did that calf break with respiratory disease? They don’t spontaneously get sick. Something happened. Was it a weather, feed or stressful event?”

He adds management strategies and mentality can be keys to determining the cause of a sickness.

“It’s a hard thing — whether you’re a nutritionist or vet — to have that hard conversation with a producer, be upfront with them and say, ‘It’s something we’ve done,’” he says. “A lot of times, there’s management practices that messed up along the way, and the result is a disease.”

In his practice, he works with the producer to help them understand and recognize the management strategies to improve the outcomes.

“In the beef industry, a lot of the mentality is, ‘We’ve never done it this way,’” he says.
“In comparison, in the poultry and pig industries, producers will say, ‘If it increases my production, I’ll do it.’ They have the mentality of being willing to give something a try to see if it increases health.”

Engle adds, “I always tell producers if you want A results, you got to give A effort,” he explains. “You can’t have a C -plus effort and expect A results.”
Stress management is more important than treatment protocols. Focus on reducing stress and creating optimal conditions for calves, rather than relying solely on medical interventions.

“The calves don’t lie,” Engle says.

He emphasizes the importance of careful observation, advising producers to “read calves every day” and make real-time adjustments.

Beef-on-Dairy Calf Health
Engle also has extensive experience with beef-on-dairy calf management and production and discussed how those animals compare to traditional beef calves, highlighting how multiple touch points and movements bring beef-on-dairy calves unique challenges — including different feeding systems and varied vaccine and management protocols at each location.

As a positive, he says, “In the beef-on-dairy space, we have all the data points, or we have the opportunity to collect all the data points. Then you can start making decisions.”

With this complex — but data-rich — production model, there is significant potential for improving calf health and performance.

Engle challenges producers to think holistically about animal health, management and production.

“It’s not the animal that’s usually causing the problems,” he says in summary. “It’s usually producer’s management or oversight. As farms have gotten bigger, the skill gap as we go higher actually closes. Everybody who has 10,000-head of cattle on feed, or more, probably knows a lot about feeding cattle. But what are you going to do for a competitive advantage that the next feedyard isn’t? I think a lot of that’s looking internally at your management strategies and your consulting team. It’s a team effort to get to where you want to be. Set those goals and look at what you need to do better to be where you want to be in the next five to 10 years.”

Protect the Herd: The Signs to Watch for Calf Pneumonia

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:44:05 GMT

Pneumonia in young calves is an important contributor to death loss before weaning. Many veterinarians and cattle producers think of post-weaning respiratory disease, also known as Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), when they think about pneumonia in cattle; but calves can get pneumonia while they are still suckling their dams.

Bob Larson, K-State veterinarian, says because the risk factors associated with pre-weaning respiratory disease differ from BRD in stocker and feedlot cattle, which is usually associated with commingling and transportation.

“Our understanding of how to prevent and control BRD in post-weaned calves is not sufficient to address pneumonia in suckling calves,” he says. “Several studies investigating calf pneumonia have reported that an average of 3% to 11% of calves are expected to suffer from the disease each year. In addition, nearly 1.5% of calves will die from pneumonia before they reach the age of weaning; which makes it the second leading cause of pre-weaning death with only scours causing more losses.”

The most likely age for calves to be diagnosed with pneumonia is between 70 and 150 days of age.

Larson says cases of pneumonia are most likely to appear in:

Herds that have more cases of calf scours.
Herds that bring in nursing calves from outside herds to graft onto cows that lost their calves.
Creep-fed calves.
Herds that synchronize cows.

“Calves born after a difficult birth and calves that failed to consume enough colostrum have been shown to be at higher risk of getting sick and dying before reaching weaning age,” Larson explains.

Veterinarians indicated in a survey that weather, calving in confinement, failing to adequately vaccinate the herd, and nutritional deficiencies were also suspected for contributing to the risk of calf pneumonia.

Signs of Pneumonia

“Many times, the first sign that a herd has a problem is when a calf is found dead,” Larson warns. “Because death in young calves can also be caused by other diseases such as blackleg, digestive tract disease, or trauma, a veterinarian will probably need to examine the dead calf and may need to submit samples to a diagnostic laboratory to identify the cause of death.”

If you find calves that show signs of pneumonia such as rapid breathing, laying down and being reluctant to rise, and having a high temperature should be treated with an appropriate antibiotic after consulting with your veterinarian.

Tips for Prevention

Larson says vaccinating calves against viruses such as bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), and bacteria such as Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida may help prevent outbreaks of calf pneumonia or reduce the severity of disease, but we know that a young calf’s immune system is not able to respond as well to vaccinations as an older calf’s.

“Because even a calf with a good immune response can be overwhelmed by a large exposure to germs, a successful plan to prevent disease in young calves needs to involve more than just vaccinations,” Larson adds.

He says the herds that have the best calf health have a short calving season and few heifers and cows experiencing calving difficulty. In addition, try to keep young calves away from mud and other calves as much as possible.

“Cows that calve in good body condition and that are on a good plane of nutrition are more likely to have healthy calves,” Larson says. “The best disease-control strategy is to focus on having good overall health of the cows and calves by meeting the herd’s nutritional needs, providing a good environment and timely use of vaccinations in the cows and calves.”

In summary Larson says, if calves are affected with pneumonia while suckling their dams on summer range, you should be prepared to recognize and treat cases as early as possible with appropriate antibiotics in order to minimize death losses.

Your Next Read — Combating Pinkeye: Tips for Detection and Treatment

Protect Your Herd: Essential Tips for Preventing Pinkeye Post Pasture Turnout

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:07:54 GMT

As herds are being turned out on pasture, most calves will get an immunity boost for select diseases through a vaccination program.

“Arguably the most common health nuisance on pasture — pinkeye — doesn’t have an easy vaccine solution with consistent efficacy,” says Chris Clark, Iowa State University extension beef specialist. “In part, this is because pinkeye is complicated, involving multiple bacterial strains and risk factors.”

The solution? Prevention, prevention and early intervention.

Prevention Points

Reduce corneal irritants. The cornea provides a protective layer over the eye, and when it is healthy, bacteria cannot attach. Irritants that damage the cornea allow bacteria to colonize and infection to occur. Common irritants on pasture include UV light, seedheads and dust.
Control fly populations. Flies contribute to cornea irritation, but the primary role of flies in regard to pinkeye is carrying the bacteria from one animal to the next, and facilitating transmission. Because flies can travel distances, the adage “your fly control program is only as good as your neighbor’s” bears truth. But by taking steps in your herd, populations can still be significantly reduced. Multifaceted approaches are the most effective.
Prioritize nutrition. Multiple macronutrients and micronutrients are essential for an effective immune response. A well-balanced mineral program is important in keeping the herd healthy. Mineral supplements can become costly, so a solid understanding of mineral levels in the available feed and water can help reduce some costs without sacrificing animal performance.

Early Intervention

Check cattle regularly and watch closely for early signs of infection. Once clinical signs are observed, initiate treatment as soon as possible to minimize complications and severe cases.
Treat with systemic antibiotics labeled for pinkeye and be diligent in following label directions. Weigh animals to ensure appropriate dosing. Use good injection site practices to ensure optimal drug absorption.
Adjunct therapy such as eye patches, stitching eyelids shut and subconjunctival injections are sometimes used in addition to systemic antibiotics. Evidence is somewhat inconsistent regarding efficacy of these practices. Eye patches have been shown to speed corneal ulcer healing, but for best results, leave a spot open to facilitate drainage and airflow when applying. Pinkeye increases sensitivity to UV light, so shade can be helpful for animal comfort. Pain associated with pinkeye may warrant the use of an anti-inflammatory as well. Topical ointments and sprays are also sometimes used.

“As with all health challenges, work closely with your veterinarian to develop a plan for dealing with cases,” Clark says. “Before using any medications, talk with your veterinarian about safety and legality for use in the eye, required dosing schedules and required withdrawal times.”

Your Next Read: Spring Pastures Alert: Be Aware of Frothy Bloat Risk

Unlocking Success with Cow Herd Health Metrics: A Scorecard Approach

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:44:23 GMT

Tracking performance and evaluating herd success is a year-round process. Similar to tracking athletes, consider developing a scorecard to monitor your herd. Understanding how your herd is performing throughout the year is important when considering management, nutrition and culling decisions.

The first scorecard suggested was post-calving ; the next one to consider is herd health metrics. Illness and death loss in a cow herd are situations cattle producers must routinely address.

To help producers know where their herd health metrics should be, experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute offered some guidelines during a recent “Cattle Chat” podcast .

“The first metric in cow-calf operations that I look at is the first treatment response percentage,” says Brian Lubbers, K-State veterinarian.

He recommended producers aim for an 85% to 90% treatment success rate when treating one of the most common illnesses: Bovine Respiratory Disease, also referred to as BRD. He says that metric can be deceiving.

“Producers who aggressively treat BRD cases are likely treating some animals that didn’t have BRD, and that leads to a high spontaneous recovery rate,” Lubbers says. “If you are seeing a 100% first treatment success rate, you may be treating some animals who didn’t need the treatment. Very high treatment response rates should at least trigger a conversation with your veterinarian about case definitions.”

K-State veterinarian Bob Larson says another metric that producers should be aware of is the percentage of death loss in the calves. During the first year of life, there are three key times when calves are more susceptible to death: at birth, between birth and three weeks of age, and from about one month to weaning, he says.

For each of these periods, producers can expect a 1% to 2% loss, Larson explains, however, that percentage will vary from year to year.

“In the first year of life, difficult births, scours and pneumonia are some of the reasons that calves get seriously ill and sometimes die,” Larson says.

K-State beef nutritionist Phillip Lancaster says what he monitors in the herd is the body condition of the cows.

“If the cows are receiving good nutrition and maintaining their body condition, that is an indicator of the overall health of the herd,” Lancaster says.

Along with those metrics, Logan Thompson, K-State beef cattle extension sustainable grazing specialist, recommends producers treat the herd against parasites as part of an overall wellness program.

“Treating the herd against parasites is an easy win from a production efficiency and cattle longevity standpoint, and it increases the rate of passage of grass through the rumen,” Thompson says. “It is a hard metric to measure, but in some herds, cattle that are treated for parasites have an increased efficiency between 20[%] to 30%.”

In summary, the key takeaways from the podcast are:

Health metrics are multifaceted and require careful tracking.
Different perspectives (veterinary, nutritional, sustainability) offer comprehensive insights.
Metrics should be specific, measurable and contextualized.
Collaboration with veterinarians is crucial for effective health management.

Your Next Read: Early Shedding Cows Produce Heavier Calves at Weaning

Hidden Hazards: Now is the Time to Rethink Gun Use in Cattle Handling

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:59:17 GMT

With the smallest cattle herd size on record, the impact of every pound of beef and every head lost due to foreign material contamination is even more significant today than it has ever been.

Pat Mies, Tyson Fresh Meats vice president food safety and quality assurance and beef industry food safety council chair, shares alarming math regarding foreign material contamination.

There is an economic loss due to cattle contaminated with foreign materials. Mies explains regulatory rules consider any foreign material, regardless of size, to be an adulterant and unfit for human consumption.

There’s more than 50 griding/further processing facilities across the U.S.

(NCBA)

The issue is industry-wide and not just state or region specific. Processors from across the U.S. have frequently reported challenges with foreign material in beef cattle.

“It’s not a Texas issue or New Mexico issue or a South Dakota issue,” Mies says. “It’s an entire U.S. issue.”

Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch president and CEO, says “Food safety in our industry is non-negotiable; it’s now an expectation.”

(Schwartz, West Texas A&M)

Patterson says the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit revealed a significant problem: 100% of non-fed plants reported finding foreign objects in beef, with half experiencing customer complaints about items like shotgun pellets. And in the audit, 50% of fed plants are having the same issue.

Trent Schwartz, West Texas A&M University assistant professor, explains, “This is not a fed versus non-fed issue. This is all cattle being sold for meat consumption, and we believe highly that all of this is happening in the production phase, whether it be cattle gathering techniques or treating cattle.”

Mies acknowledges plants have access to resources and technology to catch foreign material but it is not 100% accurate.

“We have metal detectors, defect eliminators, X-ray systems and vision systems,” he admits. “We’re using artificial intelligence to train these systems to do a better job, to get rid of these foreign objects. And then we also have the human element — people watching product and pulling product that may have foreign objects in it. We have all these things in our plants, yet we still have problems. It’s not 100% foolproof. It’s not 100% fail-safe.”

Economic Impacts

Patrick Linnell, CattleFax analyst, provided an economic perspective regarding cull cows and the financial loss due to foreign material contamination.

“Cull cows is one area in particular where there’s an especially strong connection between animal welfare and husbandry and value to the producer,” Linnell says.

With cow inventory at its lowest since the 1950s, and as the beef and dairy industries try to stabilize and rebuild, Linnell says cull cow supplies will remain tight for the foreseeable future. Cull cows on average represent 20% of total marketing and management for an individual operation and the industry as a whole, he adds.

“The consumer wants all the beef through the system that we can provide them,” Linnell says. “That’s why making sure we don’t have to dispose of this high-value product because of foreign material contamination is important.”

The economic and reputational implications of foreign contamination are severe. With current beef prices, each contaminated animal represents a significant financial loss. Moreover, these incidents can damage domestic as well as international market confidence.

Linnell says that 50% of U.S. beef consumption is in the form of ground beef.

“If you do the simple math and look at what ground beef costs today in retail stores, it’s on average, about $5 per lb. across the U.S. That is a lot of money that we’re pulling out of the system because people decided to use a shotgun and bird shot to move stubborn cattle,” Mies says.

Starts With the Live Animal

Schwartz is the lead researcher working on a checkoff-funded study in partnership with NCBA regarding foreign material detection techniques in live animals before the animal enters the processing facility.

He says a wide range of foreign objects have been found in live animals, with metal shot being the most common. He points out that most of the foreign material found relates back to metal objects coming from the live side, not something that’s added to the product post-harvest.

His team is cataloging pictures and materials received from plants and individuals for future use and educational purposes. The primary source of these foreign objects appears to be cattle handling practices.

“Cattle get in rough country and won’t come out,” he says. “The first instinct is to use a shotgun or rat shot, and to move those cattle with some metal shot.”

Hunters are another concern for the shot residue.

“We don’t feel like this is a hunting issue,” he says. “This is direct contact, point-blank type issue. Criminal mischief has also been brought up. Criminal mischief or criminal acts is certainly a possibility.”

He also says unintended exposure or living conditions can lead to the foreign material such as cattle ingesting wire and it protrudes through the stomach and into the skirt or other organs.

Darts are also becoming an increasing concern, with some found deeply embedded in muscle tissue and even lungs.

“We need to start looking at the production side and how we can limit some of these items that are making their way into the plant,” Schwartz summarizes.

His ongoing research project is focusing on developing methods to detect objects in live animals under the hide using ultrasound, X-ray and metal detection techniques.

“The goal of the research is to determine efficacy. Does it work?” Schwartz explains. This work will allow for technology advancements to potentially identify foreign material throughout the supply chain in the live animal.

How You Can Help

Patterson suggests a voluntary, industry-wide effort to address the problem before it reaches processing facilities.

“I need your help,” Mies says in a plea to all beef producers. “I need you to talk to your friends, your family, your neighbors, anybody that you can about moving cattle with shotguns, and that it should never happen in our industry.”

To learn more about foreign materials found during beef processing watch this NCBA webinar:

Your Next Read: Streamline Spring Cattle Processing with These 3 Stress-Reducing Steps

Winning the BRD Battle: Stress Reduction and Smart Management

Wed, 07 May 2025 15:05:44 GMT

Several years ago, John Hambrick, owner of Rafter H Ranch near Rock Island, Okla., wanted to know how prevalent health issues like BRD and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) were in his cow herd, so he started implementing a testing program. Based on the results, he could make culling decisions and management changes.

“We were able to get a baseline for the herd, and then develop a vaccination program based on the recommendations of my veterinarian, Dr. Kevin Fenton, which enabled us to basically eliminate our disease sources in-house,” said Hambrick.

Determining whether disease is a problem in a cow herd or from any purchased cattle through testing is something Jody Wade, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim, also recommends.

“You can buy some of your problems, so testing is something that you definitely need to plan for when you’re buying replacement heifers and bulls,” asserted Dr. Wade. “Screen those cattle to ensure they’re not persistently infected with BVDV or any other type of virus that they can bring into your operation.”

Hambrick, a third-generation rancher in the wooded hills of eastern Oklahoma, raises commercial Angus cattle mixed with Simmental and Hereford genetics. The herd is divided into two-thirds fall calving and one-third spring calving.

“The cattle are happy here,” said Hambrick. “And I think that we’ve matched our animals to the ecosystem they live in now.”

Routine Vaccination
Building immunity gives cattle a strong first line of defense against BRD and other diseases.

“Immunity starts with healthy cows and creating an environment in utero where calves can thrive,” noted Dr. Wade. “After calves are born, we want to make sure they get quality colostrum, so they can build antibodies against those diseases that they’re going to battle. Once calves get old enough, we can start a vaccination protocol with the right products at the right time, so that we can continue protecting calves through the next phase.”

Dr. Wade advises cattle producers to work with their veterinarian similarly to how the Rafter H Ranch and Dr. Fenton have collaborated on a vaccination protocol.

“The vaccines that I use to keep my cattle healthy have been recommended to me by Dr. Fenton,” said Hambrick. “He lives in my area, so he’s familiar with our challenges. If something new comes down the road that he likes and recommends it to me, I’m all for it. I trust him 100%.”

Hambrick and Dr. Fenton work together to coordinate vaccinations with his herd’s reproductive schedule.

“The vaccine I use, PYRAMID , is wonderful for addressing respiratory disease, and we just get such a good response out of it that there’s no reason for me to change,” related Hambrick. “I personally can see as much immunity coverage with a single dose of the modified-live vaccine we use as I was getting with two and three doses of the old killed vaccines.”

In addition to running cows, Hambrick occasionally buys preconditioned calves to run as stockers, depending on markets and forage availability. A recent set of stockers he bought received the same vaccine protocol as his own calves, and he was pleased with the results.

“They made it all the way through the grow yard and to the feedlot with zero death loss,” Hambrick stated. “That protocol not only works on a farm with a known source of cattle, but also unknown sources of commingled calves.”

Just as important as having a vaccination protocol that works is having a veterinarian you can depend on to provide you with the necessary input.

“You’ve got to have a relationship with your vet,” said Hambrick. “You’ve got to have somebody at the other end of that phone who will answer when you call. Sure, we’ve been doing this for a long time, but things still come up.”

Stress Reduction
“We manage for stress because, of course, naturally, you’re going to get it,” he added.

One of the best ways to reduce stress is to minimize the number of times cattle need to be worked each year, by performing all necessary practices, when possible, at a few key times. Building calf immunity with a vaccine program can also help reduce the need to pull sick animals for treatment.

Docile cattle are also key. Hambrick has made docility one of the key genetic parameters he looks for in bulls and when making replacement decisions.

“We’re not in a situation where we’re triggering a response to create BRD,” shared Hambrick. “We’re tickled with the way things are right now. Not saying I don’t ever ‘doctor.’ Sure we do. We’ve got 450 pairs.”

Hambrick’s calves may need treatment when they are young and still with cows, because of a stress challenge like weather. However, because of the low-stress environment, paired with a routine whole-herd vaccination program, calf health has improved overall.

“It’s not uncommon at weaning to never doctor a calf,” said Hambrick. “As far as a wreck, we’ve avoided the risks.”

Even the best management practices and vaccine protocols can’t prevent BRD entirely, so having a treatment plan is necessary. Dr. Wade recommends watching calves for any symptoms and treating them as soon as possible.

“If we can catch them early, we can get ahead of that disease,” continued Dr. Wade. “As far as antibiotics are concerned, choosing an antibiotic that we know has a broad spectrum of coverage and gets into the lungs quickly to kill bacteria is important. It also needs to have a long duration, so that we don’t have to come back and re-treat.”

By emphasizing stress reduction and vaccinations, the Rafter H Ranch has been able to see a sizable impact. Calves wean off the mature cows, averaging over 600 pounds, while calves from first-calf heifers are just above 500 pounds and with few treatments across the herd.

“As we look forward to the next calf crop, going from here on out, our BRD plan will be to continue our vaccination protocol as we have now, combining that with minimal stress, adequate nutrition and the genetics we have in place,” concluded Hambrick.

About Boehringer Ingelheim - Animal Health business
Boehringer Ingelheim provides innovation for preventing and treating diseases in animals. The company offers a wide range of vaccines, parasite-control products, and medicines for pets, horses, and livestock to veterinarians, animal owners, farmers, and governments. As a leader in animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim values that the health of humans and animals is deeply connected and strives to make a difference for people, animals, and society. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/animal-health .

About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,500 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at  www.boehringer-ingelheim.com .

PYRAMID^® is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. ©2025 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. US-BOV-0033-2025A

BVDV: A Threat The Beef Industry Can’t Afford to Ignore

Tue, 06 May 2025 19:43:01 GMT

Some veterinarians and producers think of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in narrow terms – as the virus that causes persistently infected (PI) cattle. And while that perspective is correct, Dr. Thomas Passler, DVM, PhD, says there are broader implications for BVDV and its impact on cattle and some other animal species worldwide.

“(BVDV) has evolved over the years and is not a single virus or just a diarrhea-causing problem. Today it’s made up of three related viruses and 19 subtypes that cause similar diseases,” explains Passler, the Jack Rash professor of internal medicine for food animal medicine at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine.

“It’s a sneaky, insidious disease,” he adds.

Passler estimates 0.5% of U.S. cattle are persistently infected by BVDV. Of that percentage, only a small number of those animals become PI cattle – a result of infection caused during fetal development between 40 and 125 days of gestation and which persists during the animal’s entire life.

The PI problem differs from transient infection (TI), which occurs when an animal becomes infected after birth. A TI animal is infected temporarily, but during that time is capable of shedding the virus and transmitting it to other herd members or pen mates.

Multiple Health Issues And Losses Across Species
BVDV-positive animals, especially PI cattle, significantly impact U.S. herds by causing immunosuppression, weakening immune systems and making herd mates more susceptible to other infections. Passler says that immunosuppression often manifests as increased calf death losses from diseases such as scours and pneumonia, as well as poor weaning weights.

Passler adds that he has seen similar problems from BVDV in other animal species, including hogs, white-tailed deer, alpacas and goats.

BVDV is one of the costliest bovine diseases for beef producers and dairy producers, as well. Losses average between $15 to $88 per head, conservatively, according to Indexx Laboratories , citing older data from 2002 and 2008.^1-3

Despite the associated costs, a 2017 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) study of 75 U.S. cow-calf producers (the summary was released in 2023) reported only 57.5% of participating producers said they knew some basics or were fairly knowledgeable about BVDV. In addition, 26.9% of producers said they “recognized the name but not much else,” and 15.3% of respondents said they had never heard of it (see Figures 1 and 2).

Furthermore, most BVDV infection problems in cattle herds go unnoticed since 70% to 90% of BVD infections are subclinical (do not result in observable disease), according to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory .

The Beef 2017 study was conducted in 24 of the nation’s major cow-calf States. In 2017, operations in these states accounted for 86.6 percent of the U.S. beef cow inventory and 78.9 percent of all U.S. operations with beef cows.

(NAHMS)

Only 24.4% of the cattlemen surveyed said they are “fairly knowledgeable” about BVDV.

(NAHMS)

Contributing Factors To PI Cattle
Direct contact with infected animals and with contaminated fomites (water buckets, calf feeders, feed bunks, IV equipment, etc.) are common ways BVDV gains a foothold in a herd.

One risk factor that often flies under the radar is the use of intranasal vaccines that do not address BVD viruses, reports Dr. Dan Thomson, PAC veterinarian and Iowa State University professor emeritus.

“We’re using a lot more intranasal vaccinations, thinking that we’re covering for BVDV when we’re actually not,” says Thomson, who spoke with Passler recently on an episode of DocTalk.

It’s a perspective Passler says he agrees with. “We see mucosal disease in the clinic – something we shouldn’t be seeing at all – and often from herds that vaccinate,” he adds.

Intranasal vaccines for respiratory disease do not currently contain BVDV Type 1 & 2, so a separate injectable BVDV vaccine is required, according to Craig A. Payne, DVM, and Celeste Morris, DVM, respectively, at the University of Missouri. Payne and Morris discuss this contributing factor further in their online article, Vaccination Program for a Cow-Calf Operation .

Key Into The Correct Timing To Test Calves
Payne and Morris recommend that “because PI animals are so detrimental, the standard recommendation in herds where BVDV is suspected is to implement a testing strategy and remove any PI animals detected. Vaccination alone cannot counter the effects PI animals can have.”

Specific to calves, Passler says it’s important for veterinarians to let producers know the timing of the testing can impact results – maternal antibodies can skew the results.

“Either test the calf as soon as it hits the ground, before it can nurse, or wait at least a week or [even up to] a month later,” he advises.

He encourages practitioners to talk with cow-calf producers about testing calves to identify BVDV.

“A lot of people don’t test until those animals are stockers or going to the feedlot, and that’s too late,” Passler says. “We want producers to test earlier so they can remove PI cattle sooner.”

Evaluate Vaccines And Protocols
There are two main types of vaccines for BVDV: modified-live (attenuated) and killed (inactivated).

The most significant value for beef producers in using a vaccine that addresses BVDV is being able to protect a dam’s fetus, Passler says. But no vaccine is perfect, he adds, noting producers must also be diligent with their management practices.

“What we have seen here in the clinic is that even in well-vaccinated herds – those we know use killed vaccines religiously – they still get PI cattle if they’re not careful about biosecurity,” he says. “These might be herds that religiously vaccinate, but they still go to the stockyards and buy replacements or take some other sort of risk.”

As for vaccine use protocols, Passler says his review of other researchers’ work indicates it’s best if producers use at least one modified live vaccine and then an inactive (killed) vaccine to vaccinate cows and heifers.

“I’d probably [vaccinate] two cycles and well before gestation, because vaccine seems to reduce fertility a little bit,” he says. “Some researchers say 42 days in advance [of gestation] is a good number to use”

Another practice Passler advises is using products from more than one manufacturer. “Different manufacturers use different vaccine strain viruses, so you might increase endogenic exposure,” he explains.

Thomson supports that recommendation. “We do that when we deworm, we do it with how we treat bacteria, so why wouldn’t we do that to prevent BVDV? That’s great advice,” he says.

Your next read: Can Oxytocin Boost Colostrum?

References

1. Bartlett B, Grooms D. BVD-PI eradication: unintended consequences. Michigan Dairy Review. 2008;13(3).

2. Chi J, VanLeeuwen JA, Weersink A, Keefe GP. Direct production losses and treatment costs from bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine leukosis virus, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and Neospora caninum. Prev Vet Med. 2002;55(2):137–153. doi:10.1016/s0167-5877(02)00094-6

3. Ridpath J. Why BVD is a tough problem. Hoard’s Dairyman. 2002;147:697.

Streamline Spring Cattle Processing with These 3 Stress-Reducing Steps

Thu, 01 May 2025 15:46:11 GMT

Reducing stress during livestock handling can increase productivity, maintain or improve meat quality, reduce sickness and enhance animal welfare. Implementing low-stress handling techniques when working with cattle is important to reducing stress.

As producers prepare for spring processing, Beth McIlquham, University of Wisconsin-Madison regional livestock educator, encourages producers to consider these low-stress handling strategies.

“While temperament in cattle is moderately heritable, environment does play a role and even cattle that are less docile will benefit from low-stress handling methods,” Mcllquham says. “A good handler can help reduce fear in an animal, which is the primary driver of negative consequences associated with handling stress.”

Even if the animal is not experiencing any pain, fear can still cause physical responses in the body, such as high cortisol levels. These responses can ultimately lead to increased susceptibility to illness, lower meat quality and overall lower performance.

Mcllquham says one negative handling experiences can affect future handling situations.

Identifying stress through body language
Cattle in a state of fear or under stress can be identified through their body language. Obvious signs of fear in cattle are running, kicking, vocalizing and aggressive behaviors toward handlers. Subtle signs of fear are heavy breathing and showing the whites of their eyes. Stressed cattle can cause serious injury to themselves and humans. Relaxed cattle are quiet and walk or trot calmly. When low-stress handling techniques are used, the risk of injury is lowered.

“Besides increasing performance and lowering sickness and injury rates, consumers have indicated that they care that their food is humanely raised,” McIlquham explains. “Implementing low-stress handling is a great place to start and comes with many other benefits. Although it may sound like a daunting task, utilizing low-stress handling techniques can be done in smaller steps.”

Step 1: Put away the electric prod
“Our first step is to put away the electric prod,” she says. “To decrease use, place electric prods away from where you’re handling cattle but still be accessible in an emergency. This way, instead of instinctively reaching for it, the inconvenience of going to grab it can decrease electric prod use.”

Step 2: Understand cattle’s natural instincts
“We should utilize these instincts to work for us instead of against us,” she says. “The fact that cattle are prey animals drives a lot of their behaviors.”

Cattle are herd animals and like to be in groups. When moving them, keeping cattle in small groups (two to five head) can help keep them calmer and easier to handle. Additionally, cattle want to see you. Humans are naturally predators, and because cattle are prey animals, their instinct is to be able to keep handlers in sight.

Cattle want to go toward lighted areas and will resist going into darker areas. It is easier to see any potential threats in areas that are light. Keep in mind shadows can reduce cattle flow through an area.

Step 3: Study and use cattle’s natural flight zone
Good handlers study and use cattle’s flight zone and point of balance, McIlquham explains.

Two concepts are illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Flight Zone and Point of Balance

(Beef Quality Assurance Cattle Care & Handling Guides)

Walking into the flight zone makes the animal move away from the handler. Stepping out of the flight zone will take pressure off and remove the animal’s desire to continue to move away. Note that the size of flight zones varies between animals. The point of balance allows handlers to move the animal forward or backward. Stepping into the flight zone in front of the point of balance will make the animal move backward. Stepping into the flight zone behind the point of balance will drive the animal forward.

Keep in mind cattle have a blind spot directly behind them. If you approach the animal in the blind spot, they could get spooked. Walking in a zigzag pattern behind cattle helps let them know you are there.

Extra tip: Taking breaks
Calm cattle are easier to move than stressed cattle. Fearful cattle are more reactive, more easily injured, and more likely to engage in aggressive behaviors. If a handling situation does get intense, take a little break and release pressure on the cattle.

“Even taking a brief break can help both the animal and handler calm down and come back to the situation in a more positive light,” Mcllquham summarizes.

Your next read: Effective Needle and Syringe Strategies to Ensure Spring Processing Success

Elanco Enters Agreement with Medgene to Commercialize HPAI Vaccine in Dairy Cattle

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:58:09 GMT

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated today announced it has entered into an agreement with South Dakota-based Medgene to leverage the company’s innovative vaccine platform technology. The agreement includes commercialization of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) vaccine for use in dairy cattle. Medgene reports the vaccine has met all requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) platform technology guidelines and is in the final stages of review for conditional license approval.

While the poultry industry has developed interventions and processes to reduce the spread or eradicate HPAI, those efforts have continued to be challenging as the current outbreak enters its fourth year. Dairy producers have worked quickly to protect their herds without the same tools and biosecurity options to tackle this devastating disease. The cross-species transmission of the disease into nearly 1,000 dairy herds across the U.S. since March 2024, along with zoonotic transmission to people, shows that more interventions are quickly needed. This virus is prevalent and predicted to persist over time, thus a cattle vaccine will be critical to slow virus spread between birds and cattle.

“As egg prices soar and milk production wanes in infected dairies, the need for new solutions to curb disease spread is evident,” says Jeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco Animal Health. “Elanco is pleased to partner with Medgene to bring customers options to fight this devastating disease and believes this product will become part of a routine vaccination protocol for the U.S. dairy industry. This partnership further strengthens our diverse dairy portfolio and advances our One Health platform of animal health solutions, not only benefitting our dairy customers, but helping curb disease spread for our poultry customers, and working to improve egg prices for consumers.”

“Medgene has an established reputation of supporting animal owners and their veterinarians with our USDA-licensed platform technology and bioinformatics software to design transformational vaccines. With our critically important H5N1 vaccine for dairy cattle in the final stages of approval, we’re excited to partner with Elanco to quickly bring this much needed solution to U.S. dairies,” said Mark Luecke, CEO of Medgene.

The USDA previously approved Medgene’s vaccine platform technology in cattle, allowing the company to accelerate H5N1 vaccine development. Medgene has existing vaccine manufacturing supply ready to deploy with the ability to support the U.S. dairy herd.

Your next read: “Tempo Has Increased” As HPAI Spreads in The U.S.

Iowa Secretary of Ag Weighs In on The H5N1 Battle, Vaccine Potential And Trade Sensitivities

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 13:48:13 GMT

Eggs continue to be a hot topic in the news as supplies are down, prices are up – and expected to go even higher – and consumers are understandably concerned.

At the center of the issue, fanning the on-going problem for poultry and dairy producers as well, is the Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus (HPAI H5N1).

AgriTalk Host Chip Flory broached the topic with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Tuesday.

At the heart of their conversation was a two-part question – how does the U.S. address the virus and, in the process, prevent any potential negative ramifications on trade?

Naig says the federal government is taking what he described as a three-legged stool approach to addressing the problem in both industries.

He described the three legs of the stool as being USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), individual state animal health officials and industry.

“We work very closely with APHIS on this, meaning that they’re the ones that are providing the indemnity payments to producers. They are providing the disposal and cleanup assistance, but they must work in close collaboration with the states and state animal health officials,” Naig says. “And then, of course, you’ve got to have the third leg, which is industry.”

Biosecurity Measures
Naig noted that while the virus hit the poultry industry hard in 2015, it struck even harder in 2024.

“It’s not just in the Midwest or West, it’s been really all across the country now, affecting the egg laying industry, broilers and turkey production,” Naig says.

A significant positive, Naig says, is that biosecurity measures in the poultry industry appear to be preventing farm-to-farm spread. “The industry continues to get high marks for that, which wasn’t the case in 2015, which was so devastating because we didn’t have those strategies in place.”

“I believe, and our experience has been, that our USDA partners in this regard have been very strong,” he adds.

As Naig addressed the three-legged stool approach the U.S. is taking to addressing the virus in dairy, he says the three partners have more work to do.

“Frankly, there’s been a lot of criticism to share around the three legs, if you will, on how states have reacted, or how strongly USDA should have reacted, and what the industry is doing to try to contain that virus. So, I would say on the dairy side of things, it’s a different story (than in poultry). There’s a lot more work that’s yet to be done to even understand how that virus is impacting those (dairy) herds.”

What Is The Role For Vaccines?
Flory asked Sec. Nagy whether he believes a vaccine could be part of the solution to the virus or whether that would set up too many trade barriers. Flory also asked whether the virus is stable enough for a long enough period of time for a vaccine to be developed that would work effectively.

Both are questions the U.S. is grappling with as it tries to get ahead of the virus in dairy and poultry.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported the U.S. will rebuild a stockpile of avian influenza vaccines for poultry that match the strain of the virus circulating in commercial flocks and wild birds, citing the Department of Agriculture.

Naig told Flory that he believes a vaccine could be developed, with regard to poultry specifically, and its use negotiated into trade agreements.

“Those are challenges, and yet those are things that can be worked on and can be done, but it’s not easily done. I would want to put a flag there,” Naig says.

“I’m supportive of developing … we should try to figure out whether this can be an effective tool. If you’re in the broiler business or if you’re in the turkey meat business or if you’re in the egg business or maybe you’re in the genetics business, those are very different in terms of how you view that vaccine.”

Naig explains part of the different viewpoints on vaccine use have to do with the difference between poultry business segments.

“We need to recognize that those sectors are different in how they’ll view and potentially use a vaccine,” Naig says.

“Don’t treat them all the same. It’ll make way more sense for some than others.”

Naig did not weigh in on vaccine development for the dairy industry specifically.

The full conversation between Naig and Flory on AgriTalk is available below.

Your next read: Think Egg Prices Are Already Too High? USDA Says Retail Egg Prices Could Jump Another 20% in 2025

When Abnormal Becomes Routine: How to Spot and Stop Bovine Respiratory Disease

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:31:46 GMT

When you do the same task day after day, month after month, it can be easy to overlook the small signs of a bigger problem, especially when it comes to bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

“There’s so much subclinical respiratory disease, and we often don’t dig into what’s going on until the disease accelerates,” said Curt Vlietstra, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “We learn to tolerate or become numb to a certain level of mild cough, a little nasal discharge, maybe some red, runny eyes. We accept that as normal when, by definition, those signs are definitely not normal.”

When we get busy doing other things, BRD can ramp up, affecting short-term and long-term animal performance. Productivity impacts of BRD include decreased rate of weight gain, higher culling risk, delayed age at first service, delayed age at first calving and, in some cases, lower future milk production.¹

Don’t let respiratory disease sneak up on the herd. These three tips can help:

1. Focus on prevention

It’s the little things that can make a big difference in BRD management. But, when we get busy, attention to detail can slip and important tasks can be overlooked, leading to an uptick in disease.

“Prevention is always preferable to treatment,” asserted Dr. Vlietstra. “But we know we can’t prevent all sickness. When we do have a disease outbreak, we’re often so focused on putting out fires that we aren’t able to put as much effort into prevention, leading to a cycle that’s difficult to get out of.”

Focus on nutrition, beginning with and including colostrum, air quality, providing a clean, dry environment, and reducing stress. Specific to vaccines, make sure you’re handling and administering modified-live virus vaccines appropriately to give them the best opportunity to do their job. Conduct regular employee training and review procedures at least once a year to reduce protocol drift and improve compliance.

He added, “When calves do get sick, treat early and aggressively with a fast-acting, broad-spectrum treatment, but also look at what you can do to shift your attention back to improving preventive measures.”

2. Set and track goals

Good recordkeeping, setting goals and tracking benchmarks are important to prevent the abnormal from becoming normal. Without this data, you may not realize a small problem is becoming a bigger issue until it’s too late. Data allows you to be proactive, identify trends and make management adjustments early.

“Keep track of and look for trends in how many calves treatedeach month, especially during the spring and fall when there can be drastic temperature and humidity fluctuations leading to more respiratory disease,” said Dr. Vlietstra. “If there’s an uptick in either the incidence or the severity of disease, that’s an indication you might need to make a change.”

Perform diagnostics to get a better idea of the specific pathogens involved in the disease outbreak. Swab calves with runny eyes or nasal discharge and perform a lung ultrasound for calves with mild coughs.

“It’s not feasible to test every calf, but it’s a good idea to run diagnostics when there’s a significant change in the pattern of disease, or when you’re looking to make a protocol change,” he explained.

3. Give vaccines the best opportunity to succeed

There are only so many hours in the day, and when we’re busy or our focus is pulled elsewhere, we must accomplish important tasks, like vaccinating, when we can. However, it’s essential to consider the best timing for the calf, and not just our schedules.

“We should do what we can to vaccinate calves at a time when we think the vaccine is going to get a good response,” emphasized Dr. Vlietstra. “Avoid giving vaccines when you know calves are going to have some stress, like during bad weather or when you’re moving pens.”

It’s also important to vaccinate calves early to maximize immunity. However, maternal antibodies can impact the effectiveness of some vaccines, meaning many producers wait to vaccinate until calves are older and may already be susceptible.

Dr. Vlietstra suggests looking for a vaccine that’s proven to overcome maternal antibodies, allowing you to vaccinate calves early. “Vaccinating early allows calves to start building immunity before the stressful time of weaning,” he concluded.

References:
¹ Overton MW, Economics of respiratory disease in dairy replacement heifers. Animal Health Research Reviews. 2020;21(143-148). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1466252320000250

Protecting Potency: Best Practices for Effective Vaccine Storage on the Farm

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 21:16:58 GMT

Vaccines are only as effective as the conditions in which they are kept. That’s why paying a bit of extra attention to storage can go a long way when it comes to ensuring these immunizations do their job.

According to Curt Vlietstra, DVM at Boehringer Ingelheim, improper storage or handling can result in ineffective vaccines. Temperature fluctuations, exposure to light and improper handling can all impact a vaccine’s potency, reducing its protective power. Vlietstra advises farmers to pay close attention to vaccine storage conditions to help maintain effectiveness.

Top Vaccine Storage Pitfalls

Vaccines are sensitive biological substances that need specific conditions to maintain their potency. Three issues Vlietstra commonly sees when it comes to vaccine storage include:

Improper Temperature: Most vaccines must be stored between 35°F and 46°F. Any exposure to freezing or excessive heat can denature the active ingredients, making them ineffective.
Exposure to Light: Many vaccines are sensitive to light, which can also degrade their quality. These vaccines should be protected from UV light once removed from the refrigerator.
Expired Vaccines: Use older vaccines first and always check expiration dates. Storing newer stock at the back and keeping older doses at the front makes it easier to avoid using expired vaccines and helps maintain the effectiveness of your supply.

Steps for Proper Vaccine Storage

Vlietstra suggests implementing the following steps to help ensure vaccines are stored properly.

Invest in Reliable Refrigeration: “Don’t go with the cheapest fridge you can find,” Vlietstra advises. Instead, he recommends investing in a quality refrigerator that is designated solely for medical usage.

“I don’t want your lunch or drinks in there because the more time it gets open and closed, the more changes you have in the temperature. Plus, there’s a higher likelihood that it doesn’t get closed all the way.
Use Temperature Monitors: Implement temperature monitoring systems that alert staff if the vaccine storage deviates from the optimal range.

“Usually, a fridge doesn’t go bad overnight,” Vlietstra says. It slowly starts to lose its effectiveness. Having a good thermometer can warn you when your barn fridge is on its way out. Some of these thermometers even have wireless alerts that can connect to an app on your phone.”
Handle With Care: When it comes to vaccine handling, keeping doses at a stable temperature is crucial, even after mixing. Whether it’s hot or cold outside, Vlietstra recommends storing mixed vaccines in a transportable cooler to help protect them from extreme temperature fluctuations and sunlight.

“How we mix, handle and store these vaccines matters,” Vlietstra adds. “Have conversations with your veterinarian and consider implementing a training day to review proper storage and handling SOPs with your team. Regularly refreshing this training ensures everyone is on the same page, which can make a real difference when it comes to herd health.”

Your Next Read: Play Offense on Clostridia in Calves

Needle Selection Important for Breeding Synchronization Protocols

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:57:21 GMT

Needle size matters depending on the type of substance being administered to cattle. In a recent DocTalk episode, Veterinarian Kirk Ramsey shares things to consider when using hormones during synchronization protocols for breeding cattle.

“Synchronization protocols always require a hormone injection, and there are a few really important factors that we have to remember when approaching hormone injections in cattle,” says Ramsey, who works for Neogen Cattle North America. “All hormone injections of prostaglandin analogs have to be given in the muscle. If those injections fail to get in the muscle, they’re definitely not going to be as effective, and they’re probably going to lead to synchronization failure.”

Needle length and gauge are important depending on the size of the animal. Ramsey says the best rule of thumb is to stick with a one-and-a-half-inch needle for intramuscular injections of hormones.

“The gauge of the needle is a little bit less critical, but the longer the needle, the more likely they are to bend or break, making these injections dangerous to the injector as well as the animal,” Ramsey states.

For most cattle injections, Ramsey recommends an 18-gauge or 16-gauge needle when giving these injections.

In addition, producers should always follow Beef Quality Assurance guidelines for injection sites, which means the injections are best given in the muscles of the neck.

“Hormones associated with cattle synchronization can be very dangerous,” Ramsey explains. “It’s good practice not to handle these hormones if you are pregnant or maybe pregnant, and always wear gloves and protective equipment when giving these injections.”

Your next read: What Needle Size To Use When Working Cattle

Synchronizing Cows With One Injection, One Time Through Chute and Bull Breed

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:56:05 GMT

By using this protocol, producers can achieve more calves born earlier in the season without increased labor, cost and facilities using estrus synchronization and artificial insemination. The protocol shown (Figure 1.) can increase the number of cows coming into estrus early in the breeding season, with one time through the chute, one injection, and breeding using only natural service.

Protocol for using one shot of prostaglandin to synchronize estrus and the use of only natural service.

(UNL)

This protocol calls for bulls to be turned out with the cows on Day 0. On Day 5, cows are given a shot of prostaglandin (PGF2α) which synchronizes a majority of the cows to be in heat/estrus from Day 6 through Day 10. The injection of prostaglandin causes any cows with a corpus luteum present on one of their ovaries to regress, ceasing progesterone production. This then triggers the cows to come into heat/estrus.

If the cow conceives during Day 1 to 5, she will not abort when given the prostaglandin injection on Day 5 because the developing corpus luteum at the site of ovulation on the ovary has not yet reached maturity and will not respond to prostaglandin.

Research conducted at the Fort Keogh Research Center near Miles City, Mont., utilized this protocol over a three year period, achieving pregnancy rates over 85% in a 32-day breeding season. Research from the University of Nebraska showed 75% of cows calved in the first 21 days of the calving season utilizing this estrus synchronization protocol as compared to only 63% of cows from non-synchronized natural service breeding.

Utilizing natural service with this method of estrus synchronization will require adequate bull power. A bull to cow ratio of 1:15 with yearling bulls or 1:25 with mature bulls should be sufficient. Because early breeding and the synchronized estrus is occurring over a 10 day period, fertile and active bulls with adequate libido should be able to handle the number of cows that will be coming into heat. Breeding bulls should undergo a breeding soundness exam prior to the breeding season.

Producers considering the use of this synchronization tool should remember that a number of factors affect pregnancy rate including cow body condition score, plane of nutrition, cattle health, and bull fertility.

Estrus synchronization can shorten the calving season. The article “ Use of Natural Service Sires with Synchronized Estrus ” highlights other advantages of estrus synchronization and natural service.

Note: A relatively new prostaglandin product, which is in a high-concentration formula, allows for a 2-mL dose to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin). Other prostaglandin products have an intramuscular injection (IM) label requirement, which requires a longer needle for deep muscle penetration. IM injections have a greater risk to develop lesions in the muscle that affects meat quality. The 2018 Nebraska Beef Report article “ Comparison of Two Alternate Prostaglandin Products in Yearling Beef Heifers ” showed beef heifers performed similarly to either the IM injection of prostaglandin or the subcutaneous injection of high-concentration prostaglandin.

For more information visit UNL Beef .

Your Next Read: Needle Selection Important For Breeding Synchronization Protocols

Livestock and mRNA Vaccines: What You Need To Know

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 01:56:42 GMT

As misinformation regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock filter through social media, there are facts begging to be set straight.

Recently, a claim was made saying producers are required to inject livestock with mRNA vaccines.

According to USDA spokesperson, Marissa Perry says, “There is no requirement or mandate that producers vaccinate their livestock for any disease. It is a personal and business decision left up to the producer and will remain that way,” in response to the claim, Associated Press shared in an article .

National Pork Board’s Director of Consumer Public Relations, Jason Menke echoed the statement to AP, noting that the decision to use vaccines and other medical treatments to protect animal health and well-being are made by the farmer under the direction of the herd veterinarian.

To further explain mRNA vaccines and shed light on controversies, Dr. Kevin Folta, a molecular biologist and professor at the University of Florida, shares his viewpoint and experience with the technology.

What are mRNA Vaccines?

First introduced to the population through the COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines have been in development for decades, says Folta in a recent AgriTalk segment.

He adds that the technology’s potential in human health makes it a likely candidate to have a place in animal health as well. However, “the technology is being maligned in social media, and is now shaping decisions at the level of state legislature,” Folta says. This leads to the growing importance that producers and consumers become more educated on the topic.

What Folta believes began in January of this year, based on claims with very little data, certain advocates against mRNA vaccines are concerned that mRNA vaccines are in use and development in livestock. Additionally, these vaccines may then be present in the food these animals provide.

Why mRNA Vaccines Are Not Present in Food

“It’s not in your food. It’s a vaccine for the animal that, just like any vaccine, protects the animal from disease,” Folta says.

Current mRNA vaccines being used in swine are injected into the muscle, Folta explains, which causes the development of the immune response protein to then stimulate the body to work against the virus.

“In the absence of the virus, it’s kind of like giving the virus or giving the body a ‘wanted’ poster that says, ‘when this individual comes along, and this virus comes along, work against it,’ and it’s all gone within hours,” he adds.

The mRNA never leaves the cells from where it was injected. RNA is a very unstable molecule that must be kept cold, buffered and in solvent, to remain viable, Folta explains.

Additionally, any licensed vaccine comes with a minimum time before that animal can enter the food chain, also known as the “withdrawal time,” says Alan Young, professor in the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at South Dakota State University and founder of protein platform (non-mRNA) vaccine company Medgene.

The Animal’s Genes Are Not Altered

While mRNA vaccines include genetic code, Folta says the use of a mRNA vaccines does not alter the animal’s genes in any way.

“This [mRNA] is an intermediate between the gene itself and the products that the gene encodes. So, it’s like having a blueprint and a house. The mRNA is like the construction worker. It takes the blueprint and manufactures the house. In the case of the cell, it takes the DNA blueprint and then takes a little bit of that information to build part of the final structure. The mRNA is just that intermediate, it does not change the genes. It doesn’t change the DNA itself,” he explains.

What are the Benefits of mRNA Vaccines?

More flexibility and faster response to new disease, Folta describes as reasons why mRNA vaccines are becoming more popular.

Traditional vaccines require large amounts of a virus to be raised and purified before being injected to elicit an immune response, he adds. Meanwhile, mRNA encourages the body to make a little piece of protein to elicit the desired immune response.

“It’s much cleaner, much easier. If you’re moving parts in this machine, to make this product that induces an immune response, it’s so good in so many ways,” Folta says.

In pork production specifically, researchers are working with mRNA vaccines that will work this way against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which is a viral disease that causes economic loss totals around $664 million per year in the U.S. (Holtkamp et al., 2013).

Additionally, the use of mRNA technology adds another tool to the toolbox, which may be helpful in combating diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF), avian influenza and other food-animal diseases.
“This stands to be a revolutionary technology if we don’t get in the way,” Folta adds.

Are There Risks to mRNA Vaccines?

Folta says everything has some sort of risk, but it’s important to weigh the benefits against the risk.
As seen with the COVID-19 vaccines, in rare cases, people experienced side effects from the vaccine. However, Folta is encouraged by the initial results in livestock.

“If you look in animals where these [vaccines] have been used, there have been no unusual effects noted. Everything potentially has risk, but it’s monitored, and especially in large animal populations, we can look very carefully at that for surveillance,” he explains.

mRNA Enters State Legislation

While some consumers spread misinformation about the use of mRNA vaccines, the ideas have also crept into state legislation.

The Missouri House Bill 1169 , with a special hearing set for Apr. 19 on the matter, aims to require a label be used on meat from animals treated with an mRNA vaccine, identifying the “potential gene therapy product.”
This bill falsely claims that mRNA vaccines would modify the genes of the organism, Folta explains.

mRNA vaccines are simply another modality that can protect animal health, which results in healthy animals producing the best and safest food products, Folta says, and provides producers with more options to help combat disease.

“To have affordable food, we need to have continual innovation in the animal, medical, veterinary space and mRNA vaccines are safe and an effective way to treat the animal that does not change the final product,” he adds.

The COVID-19 pandemic simply “broke the seal” to the development of these new modalities that will change the way human and animal diseases will be treated in the years to come.

More on Vaccines:

Genvax Technologies Secures $6.5 Million to Advance Novel Vaccine Platform

Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines

Don’t Assume That Old Refrigerator Is Good Enough To Store Vaccines

OTC Livestock Antibiotics Will Require Prescription June 11

Canada To Develop a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 19:47:11 GMT

The Government of Canada is continuing to advance its work of protecting animal health by establishing a foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, according to a news release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The vaccine bank is a key part of Canada’s response plans to control and ultimately eliminate an outbreak of FMD should it be detected in Canadian animals, CFIA said.

In late August, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the CFIA, to supply vaccine products to the FMD vaccine bank.

The successful bidder(s) would provide concentrated FMD vaccines that could be rapidly transformed into usable vaccines. Information about the RFP including requirements, criteria, processes and timelines is available to interested bidders on CanadaBuys.

“It’s vitally important that we continue to take steps to protect livestock, and the livelihood of our hardworking farmers, against the threat of animal disease. By creating a dedicated foot and mouth disease vaccine bank, we’re working to reduce the spread of the disease and the impact that a potential outbreak would have on market access for Canadian producers. The announcement marks another step forward in the on-going work of supporting our animal disease preparedness efforts,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Canada Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, in the release.

The vaccine bank would help protect Canada from the emerging threat of FMD, maintain public confidence in the Canadian food supply, and help reduce the spread of the disease, should an outbreak occur. An effective and efficient response, including vaccination, will also help mitigate prolonged market disruptions to trade.

Quick Facts

Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish an FMD vaccine bank for Canada, and to develop FMD response plans.
FMD is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants but not horses. Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them weakened and debilitated.
Canada has been free from FMD since 1952, and strict measures are in place to prevent the disease from entering Canada. FMD is not a public health risk and is not considered a food safety issue.
The CFIA would use a vaccine only in the event of an outbreak to protect animals and help stop the spread of disease. This complements Canada’s current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank (NAFMDVB) ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers.
In Canada, FMD is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, and all suspect cases must be reported to the CFIA.
The CFIA monitors the status of FMD worldwide and has emergency preparedness and response plans ready.

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Anthrax Outbreak Affects Multiple Beef Herds in Wyoming

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:08:49 GMT

Anthrax has been confirmed in multiple beef herds located in Carbon County, Wyo. This is the first confirmed anthrax in Wyoming cattle since the 1970s. Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) confirmed the diagnosis on August 31. Both WSVL and private veterinarians were essential in the diagnosis of anthrax impacting several herds in the region.

“We have approximately 50 to 60 head that have died at this time due to anthrax,” Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Hallie Hasel told the Cowboy State Daily.

“It’s in a localized region at this time, but we are still investigating, and there could be other losses that we don’t know of quite yet,” she added.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution. The spore-forming bacteria may survive in the soil for years to decades, resulting in sporadic outbreaks which usually occur after periods of drought followed by heavy rain. Domestic and wild animals may become infected when they breathe or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water.

Clinical signs of anthrax in livestock include sudden death, weakness, staggering, difficulty breathing, fever, and bloody diarrhea.

“Multiple state agencies and private veterinarians responded quickly following the anthrax diagnosis by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. Protecting animal and human health is critical upon diagnosis of a zoonotic disease,” said Hasel.

“The Wyoming Livestock Board will continue working with producers and private veterinarians to reduce further spread and limit human exposure through recommendations for carcass disposal and vaccination. Anthrax vaccine is approved for multiple livestock species and highly effective,” she added.

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USDA Approves New H5N1 Vaccine Trial for Dairy Cattle

USDA Approves New H5N1 Vaccine Trial for Dairy Cattle

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 20:12:31 GMT

As we near 200-herds being impacted by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the USDA says work is moving forward on a vaccine.

The agency has recently announced plans to conduct field trials for a vaccine aimed at preventing H5N1 from infecting dairy cows.

While four vaccines are licensed for avian influenza, none are approved for the current strain. And while a number of companies are working on a vaccine, the ag secretary says one company has presented sufficient information to allow him to authorize the first field trial.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to develop [a vaccine] in the near term with the information in this field trial,” says USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack. “That will allow us to determine whether we can go to the next level, next set of steps necessary to ensure safe and effective use of the vaccine.”

The vaccine work is being overseen by USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics.

The secretary’s announcement comes after several ag industries, including dairy groups like the National Milk Producers Federation, sent a letter to the secretary supporting the development of a safe and effective vaccine one that can be used for dairy cows, turkeys and egg-laying hens.

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