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.
