Vaccinations

Remember!

• Vaccination does not give absolute 100% protection to each and every animal or every herd

• Vaccination does not replace good biosecurity/biocontainment management practices .

Vaccine Handling

• Rules #1-31. Read label2. Read label3. Read label

Label Directions

• Proper temperature– Refrigerate most vaccines– Refrigeration means 400 F, not 200, not 600

• Proper route of administration– IM (intramuscular)– SQ (Subcutaneous)– IN (Intranasal)– Oral .

Label Directions

• Proper species• Proper dose• Proper time (including boosters as

necessary) .

Vaccine Types

• Killed• Modified Live (MLV)• Antibodies/Antitoxins .

Vaccine Types

• Killed– all organisms are inactivated– No potential for any live germs

to cause disease .

Vaccine Types

• Killed– Induce primarily antibody

development in the vaccinated animal against very specific organisms

– Usually multi-dose vials– Usually requires booster dose

first time .

Vaccine Types

• Modified Live Vaccine (MLV)– Live disease-causing organism is

treated in a way such that it induces an immune response without causing disease

– Modern technology has made this very safe .

Vaccine Types• Modified Live Vaccine (MLV)– Induces two forms of protection

in the animal: antibodies as well as cell-mediated immunity

– Typically involves mixing liquid and dry components and must be used immediately

– Usually does not require a booster first time .

Vaccine Types

• Antibodies/Antitoxins– Created by hyperimmunizing animals and taking

antibodies from their serum and putting into oral or injectable form

– Allows for instant presence of antibodies to fight disease

– Few exist - most common, E coli (First Defense), tetanus antitoxin .

What is the best, all natural vaccine we have?

Colostrum

• The future of your herd is born with NO antibodies

Colostrum & Calves

• Antibodies in colostrum are required for the first several months of that calf’s life to fight off ALL infectious agents, including scours, navel-ill, pneumonia

• Antibodies are “herd-specific” for each farm

Colostrum & Calves

• ASAP – not 12 hours later• “4 quarts in 4 hours”• Minimum 100 grams

immunoglobulins (antibodies) .

Colostrum & Calves

• Colostrum and feeding containers must be CLEAN

• Cow should be Johne’s negative and BLV (Leukosis) negative in tested herds .

Colostrum & Calves

• We can influence the antibodies in colostrum with proper vaccinations at the proper time

Summary• Biosecurity and biocontainment are not just big words to

be ignored• We need to reconsider how we bring additions into our

herds – what risks are we comfortable with?• We need to evaluate how we handle different age

groups of cattle on our farms• Vaccination is VERY important but NOT a substitute for

good management• We need to develop a vaccination program for every

animal in every herd• Colostrum, colostrum, colostrum