Dairy and suckler calves – the importance of vaccination
Managing calf health, whether dairy or suckler, is very important, writes Austin Callaghan, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Claremorris, who delves into the importance of herd health management and vaccination programmes.
Vaccination was always important, but this additional cost is now more affordable in the context that cattle values have increased considerably.
Look at the scenario of a severe pneumonia problem on a farm and the veterinary costs and stress associated with it. Vaccination costs in this situation are not high.
Mortality on farms should not exceed 5%. If they are higher than this, then you need to look at the management of the calves on your farm.
Purchasing calves
Dairy calves can, for several reasons, be more susceptible to illness. Good husbandry at birth on dairy farms is vital and the calves must receive adequate colostrum.
When calves don’t receive this colostrum, they are much more susceptible to calf scours and pneumonia. At 3–4 weeks of age, these dairy calves are traded through marts or otherwise and come in contact with other calves. In this situation, sickness can spread from calf to calf.
To reduce the sickness burden, calves should ideally be purchased directly off farm. In any event, buy calves from as few sources as possible. Buy calves earlier in the year as after the weather warms up scours and pneumonia are much more prevalent.
Management post arrival
Good management of the calves when they arrive on farm, which avoid stress, is particularly important. Sheds should be well bedded and draught free. Draughts cause the calf to become cold.
Lie in the shed yourself. Is the bedding wet? Do you feel cold? When a calf is cold, it needs to drink more to stay warm. A cold calf is a stressed calf and is much more susceptible to sickness.
Vaccinations for pneumonia
When calves are being purchased, it is strongly recommended that these calves receive pneumonia vaccinations. On the more commercial calf rearing farms, the calves receive both the pneumonia (BRSV, PI3, Mannheimia Haemolytica) and IBR vaccines.
You need to discuss a health plan with your vet for the calves on your farm. Remember vaccination is not fool proof. If good husbandry at birth is not provided, or if the housing facilities and bedding is poor, no amount of vaccination will lessen or prevent pneumonia.
However, a good vaccination programme will reduce the sickness burden if the calf does become sick. The time and stress involved in treating sick calves is greatly reduced.
When to vaccinate
Calves should be vaccinated well in advance of any likely stress period. This is why on dairy calf farms calves are treated within days of arrival on the farm. These dairy calves will also receive booster shots prior to winter housing.
In suckler herds, the high stress period is weaning, housing and sale. For the calf to develop good immunity prior to the stressful autumn period, this programme needs to start in late July / early August or earlier.
Many of these vaccinations are two shot programmes, others are one shot. Internasal tends to be one shot, and this gives quicker immunity, but the period of protection may last for a shorter period of three months. Therefore, understand the product you are using, what does it cover and how long does it provide immunity? When do I need to be giving the booster shot?
On dairy calf rearing farms, internasal may be used. The farmer wants the calves to have quick immunity, inside days. However, this farmer will be giving booster shots later in the year. Don’t just look at one shot as being a handy single shot and job done. You will highly likely need to follow up.
Read the products data sheet and discuss your programme with your vet. Many of the pneumonia (BRSV, PI3, Mannheimia Haemolytica) are two shot programmes and therefore you need to be starting early as outlined, so the calf has maximum immunity going into a high stress period. Also remember vaccines do now work to their maximum if the calf is already stressed, which is another good reason to start the programme well in advance of a high stress period.
Beef Welfare Scheme
Vaccination Programmes have also been brought to the fore as they form part of the Suckler Beef Welfare Scheme.
As part of the overall payment, the farmer receives additional payment of €15 per calf where a vaccination programme is completed on farm. This can be a programme for pneumonia, the clostridial diseases (e.g. blackleg) or bluetongue.
Clostridial diseases tend to be picked up while the cattle are grazing, so it is advisable to conduct this vaccination programme early in the year. This again is a two-shot programme for calves and an annual booster following that.
To satisfy the terms of the Beef Welfare Scheme, the farmer must follow the programme and use adequate vaccine for the product you are using.
The vaccination of calves combined with good animal husbandry and good housing facilities ensure calf losses are kept low. Follow the advice so losses are minimised and make the calf rearing process as successful and stress free for you as possible.