When it comes to herd health, many beef producers go to their veterinarian with a straightforward request: “Just tell me what shots to give.” Virginia Tech veterinarian John Currin understands the desire for a simple answer, but he says that mindset misses the real opportunity.
“Most of the time, people just want to know, ‘What shots do I give? Just tell me that,’” Currin says. “But if you want to get the most bang for your buck, it’s got to be tailored to your operation.”
Instead of chasing a national, one-size-fits-all vaccination calendar, Currin encourages producers to focus on the diseases that matter most in their cows and calves — and to build a written plan with their local veterinarian.
Why Do We Give Vaccines?
“The goal of any vaccination program is to increase resiliency and protection for the entire herd against certain diseases,” says A.J. Tarpoff, Kansas State University Extension veterinarian.
Vaccines are targeted challenges to the immune system to gain protection to the pathogens that cause the diseases of concern.
“Vaccines are tools producers use to reduce the risk and impact of certain infectious diseases in their cattle,” adds Russ Daly, South Dakota State University Extension veterinarian. “They work by stimulating the animal’s immune system before exposure to the disease-causing germs. As a result, when cattle are later exposed to those germs, the infection is less likely to become established or the severity and harmful effects of the disease are reduced.”
He stresses it’s important to remember vaccines only work to protect against the antigens they contain; in other words, there’s very little cross-protection with most cattle vaccines.
“Excessive germ exposures can overwhelm the action of vaccines,” he adds. “There aren’t vaccines against every important cattle health problem — so vaccines should be considered just one of several tools cattle producers should use to reduce disease risk.”
Start With Clear Goals: What Are You Trying to Prevent?
For Currin, a good vaccination program begins by identifying the most important disease risks to a herd.
“On the cow side, the overall goal is to prevent the frequent diseases — those that cause infertility and abortion,” he explains. “On the calf side, the fatal is clostridial disease, and the frequent is respiratory disease.”
That simple framework guides how he talks about herd health with producers. Cows need strong protection against reproductive losses. Calves need protection against deadly clostridial diseases and the common respiratory problems that can rob performance and survivability.
Tarpoff agrees that the goal is to protect threats against pregnancy for cows and then begin enhancing the immune system of young calves for protection against bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
“It is always important to remember that vaccines enhance protection for the herd, but an increased threat or poor management can always overcome a well-vaccinated animal’s immune system,” he stresses.
Currin encourages producers to build timing and product choices around their priorities, rather than starting with a generic list of vaccines and trying to make them fit every herd.
Same Science, Different Herds
Producers often ask for a universal vaccination schedule they can apply to any cow-calf operation. Currin says that’s not realistic — or very helpful.
“There is no one-size-fits-all vaccination program,” he says. “They’re all underpinned by the same science, but they vary for each operation based on operational goals, their past problems and the labor and facilities they have. Everyone needs a program that’s uniquely tailored to their operation.”
Regional disease pressure is a big part of that tailoring. For example, Clostridium haemolyticum (redwater) may be a serious concern in parts of the West but is not a routine threat in the East.
“There are differences across different parts of the country within diseases you’re going to be more concerned with that don’t exist in other areas,” he says. “I definitely recommend producers work closely with their veterinarian to come up with a good herd health protocol.”
Work With Your Veterinarian — and Put It in Writing
Tarpoff stresses, because of the unique management aspects of every operation, cookie-cutter recommendations that fit everyone simply don’t exist.
Currin is adamant that vaccination planning shouldn’t happen in isolation or at the farm store counter.
“I always suggest producers work with their veterinarian and/or local Extension people to come up with a good herd health protocol,” he says. “Have a written plan and periodically review that plan, because things change.”
Currin suggests the written plan should reflect:
- Region-specific disease risks.
- The operation’s calving season and breeding schedule.
- Labor and handling opportunities.
- Past herd health problems and long-term goals.
Building a Practical Schedule: Cows and Calves
While every program looks a little different, Currin uses a basic structure that can be adapted to both spring- and fall-calving herds.
On the cow side, he is a strong believer in modified-live vaccination programs, provided the herd is managed to allow safe use.
“You’ve got to have a defined calving season so that you have a time period where all the cows are open and you can vaccinate those cows with a modified-live vaccine,” Currin says.
He stresses sticking to label directions for timing. For calves, Currin targets both clostridial and respiratory disease.
“When the calves are 1 to 3 months of age, give them a separate clostridial vaccine. That’s kind of my basic youth vaccine program,” he says.
Later, he builds in a preweaning round of respiratory and clostridial protection.
According to Currin, spring- and fall-calving herds can follow the same framework; only the calendar dates change.
“While cookie-cutter recommendations don’t work, there are some common pathogen threats,” Tarpoff adds. “A 2017 survey of cow-calf veterinarians identified the most common pathogen recommendations.”
He says these recommendations include:
- For the cow herd, ideally prebreeding to boost protection prior to breeding season — IBR, BVD (Types 1 and 2), lepto, PI3, BRSV and Vibrio (Campylobacter).
- For calves — IBR, BVD (Types 1 and 2), BRSV, PI3 as well as a multivalent clostridial are the most common recommendations. Once closer to weaning, more veterinarians recommend including respiratory bacterins such as Mannheimia, followed by Histophilus and Pasteurella.
Don’t Forget Bulls and Replacement Heifers
Producers sometimes overcomplicate bull protocols. Currin applies what he calls the KISS [keep it short and simple] principle.
“I treat them like they’re cows. They get the same vaccination program as the cows do,” he says.
That keeps the program simple and helps ensure bulls aren’t overlooked.
Replacement heifers, on the other hand, are a special opportunity.
“The key difference is it’s a wonderful time to set them up for their lifelong herd health program,” Currin says.
Modified-Live vs. Killed Vaccines: Which is Right for You?
Daly says both killed and modified-live versions of vaccines are available for some reproductive and respiratory agents, which further factors into the decision.
“Safety, handling and timing conditions are different between both types,” he explains. “Vaccines of the same type containing the same antigens are usually offered for sale by several different animal health companies, creating another decision point.”
Daly adds the herd veterinarian can offer guidance on all those decision points.
“Their familiarity with the herd’s specific needs and with the various vaccines offered for sale make them the best source of information on which to base vaccine choices,” he summarizes.
In herds that don’t routinely use modified-live vaccines in mature cows, Currin likes to see heifers primed with modified-live products after weaning.
“If we’re not using modified-live vaccines in the cows, we can at least get a couple doses postweaning in those heifers,” he explains. “There’s really good evidence that priming those calves with modified-live vaccines has positive impacts as we booster them with killed products later on in life.”
He stresses it is important to not use modified-live vaccines in naïve cattle less than 30 days prior to breeding time.
Beyond Vaccines: Parasites and Flies Still Matter
Vaccines are only one part of a complete herd health program. Parasite and fly control still need to be addressed and should be built into the same veterinarian-guided plan.
“On the cow side, it’s predominantly lice and flies we’re talking about trying to control,” Currin notes. “On the calf side, it’s predominantly internal parasites — worms — and then, to some extent, flies.”
Fly control can be an ongoing challenge for beef producers.
“I’ve decided that flies are smarter than me,” Currin says jokingly. “Fly control is difficult because of animal-handling times and resistance of flies to many of our commonly available products. Producers should plan on a multifaceted approach involving at least two things to try to control flies.”
He points to four broad tool categories: fly tags, pour-ons, backpack sprayers, and insect growth regulators in the mineral. But he cautions that no program will work forever.
“They have to be prepared to adjust their program every couple of years, because what worked last year will not necessarily work this year,” he adds.
The Bottom Line: Use the Science, But Customize the Plan
For Currin, the message to producers is straightforward: The vaccines and the science are widely available, but the real value comes from how they’re applied on your specific operation.
“Every herd has different needs regarding disease risks and labor availability throughout the year,” Daly summarizes. “While there are some basics that should be followed for all herds, the choice of vaccines and their timing can vary widely between herds — even those across the fence from each other. This makes timely consultation with the herd veterinarian even more important.”
No matter herd size or location, a good vaccination program starts with understanding your herd’s biggest disease risks, then working with your veterinarian to develop — and regularly review — a written herd health plan that truly fits your cows, your calves and your management.
