With high feeder cattle prices, it may be tempting to look for cheaper sources of calves. Often, these cattle that are below the market come with unknown vaccination records, genetics and nutritional status. The market has already factored in the increased costs of high-morbidity, high-mortality, high-risk cattle.

With societal and political pressure surrounding antibiotic use in food animals, preventing disease outbreaks is increasingly important. The words “immunization, not just vaccination” may sound familiar in the context of discussing vaccines, but what is really meant?

Since the purchase price of calves is currently high, there can be a wide price spread between the purchase price of cattle that came from a good vaccination and health program versus cattle that have not.

Vaccine products that are administered to cattle are foreign to the animal’s body. The goal is for the body to recognize these foreign organisms and develop an immune response for protection in the event of a future disease challenge.

From the moment a calf is born, the clock starts ticking in the battle against bovine respiratory disease (BRD). One of the things we try to promote as veterinarians is making sure that we stay ahead of it. BRD is the costliest disease in the cattle industry and can have serious impacts on an animal’s production potential.

Since their father began dairy farming in 1974 with only four cows, the Brophy brothers have grown their herd to 200 milking cows, expanded their forage acreage sixfold, overcome a barn fire in 2002, which decimated their milking herd and main facility, and most recently, sprung back from a severe disease outbreak, which resulted in the death of 42 cows over nine days.

In my 25 years as a cattle veterinarian, I’ve seen the impact of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) – the most prevalent and costly challenge facing North American cattle producers – in many operations.

Pinkeye is one of the most frustrating diseases we face, and it has a negative impact not just on the value of cattle but also on their production.

A vet shares her experiences creating and implementing an autogenous vaccine for pinkeye, along with tips for treatment and prevention.

Disposable hypodermic needles are a necessary tool in maintaining cattle health. They provide a convenient and economical route to deliver products to animals in a safe and effective manner.