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5 CALF HEALTH The Midwest Cattleman · September 14, 2023 · P15
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provide a colostrum replacer cow herself, but additionally, can be transmitted by the calf 5. Applying vaccines
to ensure they get what they it enhances the colostrum she ingesting those disease parti- early in life helps give
need for a solid start. Calves is producing. You really want cles while nursing or from the calves a solid start. We're
should have 300 grams of im- to have scour prevention or environment. finding out that calves can
munoglobulins (IgG) within clostridium vaccines in them That is why the proven respond to and benefit from,
those first six to eight hours at least 60 days before calving. “Sandhills Calving Method” vaccines much earlier in life
to ensure full passive trans- This will add value through works so well to help mini- than we initially thought. Of
fer of immunity. This is a higher antibody levels in that mize disease exposure and course, the maternal anti-
higher level than previously colostrum, helping ensure its illness. With this manage- bodies that they receive from
recommended. Be sure you quality. This is especially im- ment strategy, at about three colostrum can block some of
are using a colostrum replac- portant in first-calf heifers weeks into the calving sea- those vaccines. To maximize
er instead of a supplement that have not been exposed son, you move those cows that their effectiveness, it's really
and check the bag to see how to as many pathogens in their haven't calved yet to clean important to administer them
many grams of IgG are in lives. ground. Leave behind those as soon as possible following
each bag, so the calf gets the 4. The environment that cows and their calves from birth (ideally before colos-
proper amount. I really can't calves are born into is in- the first three weeks of the trum ingestion for oral scour
sufficiently underscore the credibly important. Trying season. By moving the cows vaccines).
importance of getting an ad- to have those calves spread out that haven't calved yet to I recommend, as soon as
equate amount of colostrum and decreasing the pathogen clean ground, this concept is possible following birth, to
into the calf in those first few load that they're exposed to is replicating the cleanliness of administer Clostridium Type
hours of life. crucial. This way, when those that first three weeks of calv- C & D vaccine (to combat the
3. Vaccinations against calves hit the ground, they ar- ing throughout the calving dreaded “overeating” or en-
clostridial diseases ben- en't immediately exposed to season. I know that logistical- terotoxemia), an intranasal
efit the cow and calf. The such a high concentration of ly there are some challenges respiratory vaccine, and an
dam’s immune status greatly disease pathogens, especially to implementing this system, oral scour vaccine if there has
impacts the quality of her co- the ones that cause scours. such as access to water sourc- been a history of scours issues
lostrum, the best way to influ- More mud and manure lead es and shelter/working facili- on that ranch. If you are con-
ence that is through her vac- to greater contamination risk ties. Being able to keep those cerned they are deficient in
cination status. At preg check, of the cow’s udder. Bacterial groups separate isn't always minerals, you could offer an
I have producers vaccinating pathogens such as E. coli, Sal- easy, but if you're facing a big injectable source of minerals
cows for the clostridial dis- monella and Johne’s, as well outbreak of scours, that's the as well.
eases, of course it benefits the as rotavirus and coronavirus best solution. Drovers