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.

When done correctly, early-life vaccination helps calves handle the stressors of branding, weaning, transport and feedlot entry with resilience.

To minimize the economic impact of infectious disease in our cattle, it is important that we work together with our veterinarian to develop well-designed preventive health programs. Essential components of those programs are the vaccines we select and the schedule we utilize.

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.

“When we’re talking vaccines, the worst-case scenario is not vaccinating,” says Idaho County Extension Educator Meranda Small. “That means you’re not giving your animals the opportunity to be set up for success in a variety of scenarios.”

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), or pneumonia, is the most common cause of death in cattle over 4 months old. Many different commercial vaccines are available for protection against organisms that cause BRD, but sometimes cattle get BRD even when they are vaccinated.

It’s time to work cattle. You’ve gotten the vaccines and all you have to do is load syringes and you’re good to go, right?