From the record book to the working chute, beef producers have two new management tools heading into the next production cycle. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has opened orders for its 2027 Redbook pocket organizer, while Virbac Animal Health has expanded its respiratory lineup with BOVIGEN Platinum Synvera, an eight-way bovine respiratory disease (BRD) vaccine formulated for broader defense with low endotoxin stress on calves.
Cattle Recordkeeping Booklets Now Available
The 2027 Redbook from NCBA is now available. The pocket-sized booklet can help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts by simplifying recordkeeping, which can enhance profitability and reduce stress levels.
In addition to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) practices and proper injection technique information, the 2027 Redbook includes current information about the judicious use of antibiotics in cattle, fitness for transport and how to build a biosecurity plan. Additional pages have been added to this updated version providing plenty of room to record calving activity, herd health, pasture use, cattle inventory, body condition, cattle treatment, AI breeding records and more. It also contains a calendar and notes section.
Redbooks can be purchased online. Customization, including adding a company logo on the cover, is available in quantities of 100 books or more. For more information on custom orders, contact Grace Webb at gwebb@beef.org or (303) 850-3443.
Virbac Offers New BRD Vaccine With Three Extra Layers of Protection
Reaffirming its commitment to advancing preventive cattle health, Virbac is expanding its BOVIGEN Platinum Vaccine line with BOVIGEN Platinum Synvera. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains one of the most persistent and costly health challenges facing cattle producers and veterinarians today, directly impacting calf well-being and long-term herd performance.
Platinum Synvera protects against the most prevalent strains of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVD),1,2 because it includes BVD types 1 and 2. Vaccine strain BVD 1a has demonstrated cross-protection against 1b. Platinum Synvera effectively protects against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), Mannheimia haemolytica genotypes 1 and 2 and Pasteurella multocida killed whole bacterins.
Platinum Synvera’s three additions to the traditional five-way BRD vaccine provide coverage against the entire disease-causing intruder, not just its weapon of choice — the leukotoxin. By combining the two key genotypes of Mannheimia haemolytica and one of Pasteurella multocida, this vaccine ensures a broad protection against these bacteria.
“With BOVIGEN Platinum Synvera Vaccine, the calf develops antibodies against these bacteria and viruses, providing comprehensive protection all along the airways and lungs,” says Fabrice Payot, Virbac vice president of new business. “Modified-live vaccines stimulate a strong, long-lasting immune response, providing robust disease protection.”
Because gram-negative Mannheimia bacteria are known to cause strong reactions, these vaccines are produced to reduce endotoxins [lipopolysaccharides (LPS)] for a less stressful experience on calves.
“Many of the vaccines on the market are effective in BRD protection, but some can be hard on calves. We wanted to explore a better way and create a solution our team would feel confident putting into our own cattle, focusing on pragmatic vaccinal strains that check every box for efficacy and safety,” Payot says.
To support cattle producers, BOVIGEN Platinum Synvera is backed by the BOVIGEN Platinum Protection Program. Virbac offers a satisfaction guarantee with a full refund within six months of purchase if you are not satisfied with the vaccine’s performance.
For more information, visit us.virbac.com/BPVSynvera.
