A905
Vaccination Program

1. At birth to one week of age:
   1. Scours prevention products - This consists of 3 different avenues of protection:
      • Oral vaccination of new calves with a modified live rota and coronavirus product. This must be the first product administered, and colostrum delivery must be delayed by 30 minutes to ensure that the modified live viruses have time to replicate.
      • Oral antibody supplementation.
      • Oral colostrum - Remember that the dam will produce protective antibodies in her colostrum. Colostral enhancement can be accomplished through vaccination of the dam with products that stimulate antibody protection against E. coli, clostridial organisms, rota and corona viruses.
   2. Respiratory protection using intranasal infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and parainfluenza (PI-3) vaccination products.
   3. Avoid all other vaccinations in calves less than one week old. They are still recovering from the stress at birth and have high levels of natural steroids that will compromise response to vaccinations. Calves at this age do have an intact immune system but they are weak in some components that may cause them to fail to produce the right response. Immunization of animals less than one week of age should be limited to oral (antibody, colostrum, rota/corona) and intranasal (IBR/PI-3) products and vaccines.
       
2. Between 3 and 5 weeks of age: Avoid vaccination during this period in the calf’s life. During this period, the calf is experiencing a decline in certain immune system cells it received from its mother in the colostrum. Its immune system is also undergoing a time where it is starting to produce these protective cells on its own. Vaccination during this time may produce a poor or adverse response. Adverse responses to vaccines given at this time may persist and predispose the animal to future adverse responses to vaccinations.
    
3. At castration and branding time:
   1. Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD - type I and II), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), parainfluenza (PI-3) killed or modified live vaccine. Read product labels to ensure that the product can be used on calves nursing pregnant mothers. Recent research from Cornell University indicates that using a killed BVD product as the first and possibly the second dose may enhance the immunity to BVD.
   2.  7 or 8-way vaccine for clostridial organisms.
   3. Leptospirosis vaccine (not necessary, except in herds with a known high lepto risk) - Currently there are two ways of vaccinating for Lepto: the traditional 5-way vaccines and the new single valency Lepto-hardjo bovis vaccine. Current recommendations are identical for both products and include a primary dose, followed by a booster dose 4-6 weeks later.
   4. Pasteurella vaccine (recommended).
   5. Pinkeye vaccine (optional).
   * To achieve optimal protection, the BVD, IBR, BRSV, PI-3 and the 7 or 8-way vaccine for clostridial organisms should be boostered in 3-4 weeks.
    
4. At 2-4 weeks pre-weaning:
   1. BVD (type I and II), IBR, BRSV, PI-3 modified live vaccine.
   2. 7 or 8-way clostridial vaccine.
   3. Pasteurella vaccine.
   4. Leptospirosis vaccine (recommended)
   5. Bang’s vaccine for heifers (consult a local veterinarian) - Consider administering Bang’s vaccine on a separate day to spread out gram-negative antigen exposure. It is best to never administer more than two gram-negative vaccines at one time.
      
      
5. At weaning:
   1. A BVD (type I and II), IBR, BRSV, PI-3 modified live vaccine.
   2. A 7 or 8-way clostridial booster.
   3. Pasteurella and Lepto boosters if given 3-4 weeks previously.

1. Pay attention to how the vaccine is handled. Most vaccine should be refrigerated until used. Leaving it on the dashboard of a truck, in direct sunlight, or where it can be heated or frozen will decrease the effectiveness of the vaccine. Contact of modified live virus vaccines with soaps, disinfectants, antiseptics, or alcohol can destroy the virus in the vaccine and damage the vaccine’s ability to produce an immune response.
2. Consider environmental stressors on cattle when vaccinating. Avoid vaccinating on extremely hot or cold days. In hot weather, consider vaccinating in the morning to minimize the stress of handling in the hotter part of the day.
3. Animals that are transported (possibly as a result of a recent purchase) should be isolated and vaccinated 2-3 days following arrival. This time delay will vary with different groups and types of cattle. If animals are commingled, they should be vaccinated immediately upon arrival and receive a booster vaccination again in 10-14 days.
4. Avoid vaccinating animals when they are experiencing other stressful events like calving, weaning, dehorning, or castration. Ideally, vaccination should be done 7-10 days prior to such events.
5. Unless under the direction of a veterinarian, vaccinate only healthy cattle. There may be some instances where vaccination in the face of a disease outbreak would be helpful.
6. Address other immune system stresses, such as parasitism, to enable a maximum response to the vaccine. Make sure adequate nutrition is provided, especially trace minerals.
7. Vaccines do not last forever. Always follow label directions on the frequency of booster vaccination.
8. Vaccines are not 100% effective. Individual immune responses, environmental pressures, levels of exposure and virulence (or strength of the infectious agent that causes disease) are all variables in the process of immunization. We may give vaccines, but vaccination does not necessarily equal immunization, and immunization does not always equal protection.
9. Implement biosecurity management strategies to minimize exposure to disease and strengthen herd immunity. See page A76 for additional details about biosecurity.