Beef Cow/Calf Herd Health: Basic Herd Health Protocol
> Cows (Cows and First Calf Heifers)
> Bulls
> Calves (Less Than 4 Months of Age)
Cows (Cows and First Calf Heifers)
- 30 days prior to breeding:
- 5-way modified live vaccine (BVD 1 and 2, BRSV, PI3, IBR)
- Lepto-Vibrio vaccine: often combined with 5-Way MLV
- Booster 7-way Clostridial vaccine to improve herd immunity every few years
- Multimin injection prior to breeding
- Pregnancy checks in the fall; cull open cattle
- Deworm and treat for lice
- Scourguard 6 and 3 weeks prior to calving
Bulls
- 30 days prior to breeding:
- Always remember equal opportunity—whatever you do to your cows, do to your bulls! This includes vaccinations and deworming.
- BSE—Breeding Soundness Evaluation
- Semen evaluation, testicular development and evaluation, penis development and evaluation, general health
Replacement Heifers
- 30 days prior to breeding:
- 5-way modified live vaccine (BVD 1 and 2, BRSV, PI3, IBR)
- Lepto-Vibrio vaccine: often combined with 5-Way MLV
- Booster 7-way Clostridial vaccine to improve herd immunity
- Brucellosis (Calfhood) vaccine: 4–10 months of age
- Multimin injection
- Deworm and treat for lice
- Pregnancy checks in the fall; cull open cattle
- Scourguard 6 and 3 weeks prior to calving
- Remember—do not implant heifers that will become replacement heifers
Calves (Less Than 4 Months of Age)
- Castrate bull calves
- Identification tags
- Dehorn
- Implant calves that are only going to be used for feeding purposes
- Vaccinate with 5-way (BVD 1 and 2, BRSV, IBR, PI3) vaccine and 7-way Blackleg vaccine
- Over 4 months of age:
- Castrate any bull calves not previously castrated
- Implant calves that will only be used for feeding purposes
- Dehorn cattle not previously dehorned
- Deworm and treat for lice
- Booster all vaccinations: 5-way respiratory vaccine and 7-way Blackleg vaccine
- Optional: Haemophilus vaccine
- Enroll in any programs: green tag, gold tag, etc.
Optional Considerations
- Bulls, Cows, Heifers
- Pinkeye vaccination prior to fly season
- Insecticide fly tags; remove these at end of fly season to prevent resistance
- Second deworming
- Calves
- Pinkeye vaccination
- Insecticide fly tag
- Vitamin and mineral shot
- Pinkeye Control
- Fly tags, vaccination, Rabon mineral, back rubs, mow pastures
- Provide appropriate mineral to your cows year-round
- Provide protein lick tubs to cattle throughout winter months
- Creep feeding calves
- Attempt to keep breeding season to 60 days
- Quarantine all new animals for 60 days; we highly recommend PI testing all new animals for PI BVD