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The following vaccination guidelines are guidelines only! Each preventative medicine program is customized specifically to your farm based on risk of exposure to disease. The following are recommendations for farms that precondition calves for sale to feedlots in order to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases common in feedlot operations as well as to optimize weight gain. 1. The following modified live vaccinations are recommended for open cows, weaned calves, heifers prior to first breeding and pregnant cows and calves nursing cows that have already been vaccinated with a similar product: A modified-live respiratory vaccine such as Bovi Shield FP4 + VL5 from Pfizer may be used. If no vaccination history is available, we recommend that a booster vaccination be administered 3-4 weeks after the initial vaccination, followed by an annual booster. For healthy cows and heifers prior to breeding, vaccinate with the above one month prior to breeding and booster 3-4 weeks later with a Vibrio/lepto vaccine and Bovi Shield BRSV product. Thereafter, an annual booster is required. To protect against blacklet, an 8 way clostridial vaccination such as Vision 8 Somnus from Intervet is recommended: an initial vaccination is followed 3-4 weeks later by a booster vaccination, then an annual booster is required. 2. For cows that are pregnant and nursing calves on cows that have not been vaccinated with a modifed live product: An approved vaccination for pregnant cattle with killed respiratory viruses and modified-live vibrio/lepto vaccine such as Cattlemaster 4 + VL5 from Pfizer is recommended. If no prior vaccination history is available, we recommend a booster vaccination 2-4 weeks after the initial vaccination then an annual booster. If used in calves younger than 6 months of age, we recommend an additional booster after 6 months of age. We recommend using the same blackleg protocol as above. At the time of vaccination, a pour-on dewormer such as ivermectin or moxidectin is recommended. Cows and calves that are not ear tagged or identified may be tagged; calves headed for the feedlot may be implanted at the time with hormones for maximal weight gain if desired. Castration of bull calves too large for banding is done.
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