With spring upon us or right around the corner, getting cattle off feed and into the pasture is one of the top priorities for many Western producers. Getting our pairs onto pasture means processing and generally branding calves before turnout.
When processing calves, there are some things I would encourage you to consider before gathering and sorting. Ensure that you have all your processing equipment ready to go, and be prepared to treat calves if they come through with ailments such as foot rot, abscesses, pneumonia or scours.
Ensure that you have your vaccine guns calibrated and proper needles for the size of animals and the type of vaccination you are giving. Beef Quality Assurance guidelines recommend changing needles every 10-15 head, or if they become dull, bent or damaged. In addition to changing needles, make sure there is a proper area to dispose of needles to keep them from ending up in a regular trash can. Most vet offices or pharmacies will have a place to dispose of sharp needles.
Have a storage area for your vaccine guns. Vaccines need to be kept between 35ºF and 45ºF, and the best way to do that is a vaccine cooler with holes cut in the top to slide vaccine guns into. If you do not have a vaccine cooler with holes cut in the top for the guns, you can use a Styrofoam cooler and make one yourself. Vaccines can be damaged by ultraviolet rays from the sun as well, so keeping vaccines in the cooler is imperative to prevent degradation of your product. If using a modified-live vaccine, do not mix more than you will use in a one- to two-hour period, as these products begin to degrade once they are mixed. Ensure that vaccines you plan to use are not expired and that you are using the correct dosage.
Ensure your crew giving injections knows the correct area to administer, and the correct route of administration, for each vaccine. Once the vaccine protocol has been vetted, ensure that your crew has proper training in processing protocols and performs them correctly. Review proper use of the branding iron, calf table, chute or other tools that will be used. If you are doing rope and drag branding, make sure your crew knows how to handle calves with limited stress. Check the area for potential hazards to calves being dragged, such as sharp sticks, rocks, metal or other hazards.
