“These are the times that try men's souls.” | I use Bovi-Sheild Gold One Shot and a Ultra 8 at spring branding on the cows, then I give it to calves again at weaning as soon as I can off the trucks. I bring calves off the range in late afternoon. They are penned in a corral with limited space to keep them from walking all night long, we do wet the dirt down to limit dust. Then if we can we process the calves the next morning and turn out to feed bunks with 2nd crop alfalfa and water and 25% protein tubs. If we don't have time to vaccinate them, the still get turned to feed. Try to get them vaccinated by the next day. We walk those pens at least twice a day, three times if we can. All pens are walked or cattle checked at feed bunk in morning at least for the first three weeks. Then if cattle are good we turn out to 3rd crop alfalfa pasture to graze until shipping time.
We do everything wrong but seem to get along every year. I really think the key is all our mother cows have received those vaccines, as well as baby calves sucking. It build memory in their system as when fall comes around it's easier on them stress wise. I bet I got the award for the most stress put on calves weaned, with all the trailing and dust we have. I know for a fact those vaccines work for me. Also when I had dairy, I also used those same lick tubs when weaning calves off milk. I never had to deal with sick calves if I used lick tubs, it gave them a extra boost. Well worth the money. A pen of 20 head, 90 day old Holstein calves could eat a 250lb.tub in 30 days. I mainly use those tubs on beef calves as a monitor, they don't eat much of them. But also it takes the edge off those calves. They just do better, I also put those tubs out in the alfalfa pasture as well. |
Cattle vaccination help
