THE SCIENCE OF INTEGRATING VACCINES INTO CATTLE HEALTH PROGRAMS

By Julia Herman, DVM, MS, DACVPM Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff

As caretakers of animals going into the public food supply, cattle( and livestock) producers and veterinarians have a unique responsibility to those animals. Understanding how the immune system responds to a pathogen or vaccine can guide herd health programs. Cattle production is diverse across regions, age of cattle, and disease risk, with each sector requiring their own strategy to improve cattle health and welfare.

As described in the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance( BQA) program, herd health is linked to other preventive aspects discussed in the BQA program, including biosecurity, nutrition, behavior and handling, and more. The veterinarian-client-patient relationship( VCPR) serves as the foundation to build a customized herd health plan. Veterinarians and cattle producers are partners in communicating about risks, strategies and execution. There are many aspects on how veterinarians integrate vaccines into a herd.

Strategy and Customization: When designing vaccination protocols, veterinarians look systemically at the operation to understand what products and practices will benefit the specific operation. Farm-specific risks may depend on the animals being raised( beef, composite, or dairy), age, reproductive status and exposure risk. Disease risk to respiratory and other pathogens considered are listed in the adjacent table( not all inclusive).

Parainfluenza Virus( PI3)

Respiratory Pathogens

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis( IBR) Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus( BVDV) Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus( BRSV) Mannheimia haemolytica

Others based on herd’ s unique risk( such as Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis)

Other Pathogens Clostridium family( may cause blackleg, tetanus, others) Leptospirosis

Campylobacter( formerly Vibrio)

Others based on herd’ s unique risk( such as E. coli mastitis, Moraxella bovis or M. bovoculi that cause pinkeye, Brucella abortus for brucellosis)

Vaccine Scheduling: Timing of vaccination is critical to optimize the animal’ s response to the vaccine. Each vaccine has label directions on when to give the initial dose and when to boost. Administer booster vaccines as outlined on the label, generally two to four weeks after initial vaccination. Failure to follow label recommendations for administering a booster dose of vaccine could result in a poor immune response and less protection from the disease. If the initial program is carried out properly, an annual booster may be required after the first year depending on the pathogen.

Young calves with developing immune systems are most sensitive to stressors and poor nutrition. Colostrum is key for

For more information visit: stockmanshipandstewardship. org

8 AUGUST 2025 www. NCBA. org