Late calving in a heifer’s first season is more than a timing issue – the consequences often extend beyond year one.

BVD remains one of the most economically significant infectious diseases affecting cattle worldwide. While many producers vaccinate routinely, the virus can still circulate quietly within herds, reducing performance long before obvious clinical signs appear.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Although Benjamin Franklin was referring to fire prevention when he wrote that phrase, the same phrase can have literal implications when it comes to saving pounds through scours prevention in calves.

While disease prevention remains the primary purpose of vaccine programs, a well-designed vaccination protocol is now an essential marketing strategy for producers selling calves into value-added and graded feeder sales.

As temperatures drop and winter sets in, beef cattle face increased stress due to cold weather, fluctuating feed intake and higher energy demands for thermoregulation. These stressors can suppress the immune system, making cattle more susceptible to respiratory diseases, digestive issues and other illnesses.

Persistently infected (PI) calves shed bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) with every breath and drop of saliva. They don’t just live with the virus – they spread it, continuously and invisibly, exposing every animal around them to the disease, which can impact overall herd health and performance.

Disease outbreaks pose a real and growing threat to cattle operations of all sizes. Whether it’s a common concern, such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), or a foreign animal disease, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), proactive biosecurity measures are key for disease prevention.

A vaccination program is one part of a comprehensive disease control and prevention program. However, keeping pathogens from entering the herd is always preferred over protection that comes in a bottle.

The calendar never lies. While it may feel like New Year’s celebrations have scarcely fizzled, the calf crop is on the ground, the winter feed supply is dwindling, and patches of green grass are beckoning.