“When we’re talking vaccines, the worst-case scenario is not vaccinating,” says Idaho County Extension Educator Meranda Small. “That means you’re not giving your animals the opportunity to be set up for success in a variety of scenarios.”

The journey from pasture to plate is fraught with challenges, particularly during the initial receiving period when cattle are most vulnerable. The receiving phase, typically encompassing the first 45 days after cattle arrive at a feedlot, is critical for ensuring their health, well-being and subsequent productivity.

Vaccine protocol discussions can be energetic and entertaining amongst calf raisers, consultants and veterinarians. It ultimately leads to comparing the current vaccine protocol to a large, well-established calf raiser in the region or even nationally. There can be value in this comparison, but the real value is understanding how these successful facilities arrived at their protocol.

Since the purchase price of calves is currently high, there can be a wide price spread between the purchase price of cattle that came from a good vaccination and health program versus cattle that have not.

Over recent decades, cattle disease management, prevention and treatment have changed dramatically. Vaccines, antibiotics, technology and even diseases have altered course.

Vaccine products that are administered to cattle are foreign to the animal’s body. The goal is for the body to recognize these foreign organisms and develop an immune response for protection in the event of a future disease challenge.

Louisiana State University (LSU) announced the development of a new vaccine to fight against bovine respiratory disease (BRD). The vaccine was created by Dr. Shafiqul Chowdhury, a professor of veterinary medicine.

In my 25 years as a cattle veterinarian, I’ve seen the impact of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) – the most prevalent and costly challenge facing North American cattle producers – in many operations.