Pre-Calving Vaccination for Cows
Calves staying healthier during their first weeks of life if they get good-quality colostrum soon after birth, containing antibodies against pathogens they may encounter. If the dam has high levels of antibodies before calving, she can pass temporary immunity to her calf. Pre-Calving Vaccination for Cows ahead of calving can help her build those antibodies.
Dr. Shelie Laflin, a veterinarian/rancher, says the cow starts collecting antibodies into her mammary glands about 4 to 6 weeks prior to calving. “This gives us an idea about when we should give pre-calving vaccines. Since it takes about 2weeks for an animal to respond at maximum potential to vaccination, we’re looking at a minimum of 8weeks prior to calving for giving the vaccine. If given too close to calving, you won’t get much effect,” she explains.
Choice of vaccine will vary de-pending on the diseases a ranch is encountering in the calves. If you have problems with toxic inflammation of the gut (enterotoxemia)caused by Clostridium perfringins)in calves, a Clostridial vaccine would be appropriate. “If it’s a scours problem, certain vaccines can be helpful, but no vaccine can make up for poor management.” The calves need a clean environment as well as protective antibodies.
Dr. Steve Hendrick, Coaldale Veterinary Clinic, Coaldale, Alberta says that in many herds pre-calving vaccinations means scours vaccines. “Some people are also starting to add BVD-IBR vaccines to that program,” he says. There are killed virus vaccines and also now some modified-live virus vaccines labeled for use in pregnant cows that already have some immunity from earlier vaccinations.
Can Vaccination Cause Abortion?
If abortions occur in late pregnancy, some producers wonder if it was because they vaccinated the cows. “There is always the question about how well protected the animals are, when you start giving modified-live virus vaccine to pregnant cows. We see some abortions in herds that have gone this route. The question then is whether the cows didn’t have enough immunity when they received the vaccination or was it the fault of the vaccine?” says Hendrick.
Farmers sometimes give cows several different vaccines at once. Some herds receive a scours vaccination along with the clostridial and BVD-IBR vaccine. He says that in some cases this overwhelms the cows’ immune system.
“The E. coli in scours vaccine isa gram negative bacterium. This means the bacteria have an endotoxin within the cell wall that is re-leased when the bacteria die. This toxin can make the cow sick. That vaccine, by itself, isn’t enough to make the cow sick. But the clostridials and even some of the BVD vaccines, with lepto, etc. will have some other gram-negative bacteria added to all this. The more vaccines with gram negative bacteria that we give the cow at one time could possibly be detrimental and potentially make her abort. I worry when we throw so much at these cows at the same time,” says Hendrick.
Vaccination should be tailored to our own herd. Work with your veterinarian on a herd health program that fits your situation. “Consult with your vet to know what’s safe to give your cows pre-calving,” he says.
If you purchase cows or bred heifers and don’t know their vaccination history, be careful what you give them. “In these cases, we generally use a killed vaccine rather than modified-live, just to be safe, and then give them the modified-live after they’ve calved and before they are bred again,” says Hendrick.
Vaccines To Prevent Scours
“Scours vaccinations can be beneficial in herds that have certain problems. There are limitations, however, regarding what the vaccinations cover, and which problems can actually be helped,” he says. The important thing is to have healthy cows, with strong immune systems, to produce strong calves that can take full advantage of antibodies in colostrum. Sometimes cows are un-able to develop immunity when vaccinated, especially if they have inadequate nutrition.
Some types of scours vaccines provide more protection than others. Dr. Eugene Janzen, University of Calgary, says the E. coli vaccines work well, but today may not be necessary unless cows are calving in confined/contaminated areas.
“Some of the viral fractions of the pre-calving vaccines, such as the rotavirus and coronaviruses, may not perform as well as the E. coli vaccines, and timing is more critical,” according to Janzen. “If calves will be at high risk between 2 to 4 weeks of age for viral infections, make sure that there will be enough antibodies in the colostrum to help them.” The cow needs peak antibody levels when she calves, to have enough passive immunity for the calf to give him protection that long.
Boosting the cow’s immunity raises those antibody levels fairly quickly and deposits them in the colostrum fairly quickly.
But they also fade quickly. Janzen says that vaccinating cows in early February will compromise the efficacy of that vaccine if the majority of your calves arrive at the end of March. Vaccinate the cows closer to when their calves will be at risk. Give a booster shot closer to that time.
Cows receive pre-calving vaccinations. Farmers administer pre-calving vaccinations to cows. Veterinarians recommend pre-calving vaccinations for cows. Producers schedule pre-calving vaccinations for their cows. Livestock specialists advise on pre-calving vaccinations for cows.
“If calving is strung out, and especially if it’s in confinement rather than out on pasture, we encourage ranchers to vaccinate the late calvers again,” explains Janzen. You want peak antibody response at the proper time to help the calves.
Some products are a combination, giving protection against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli in young calves. There are several brands and types of scours vaccines. “Talk with your own vet to know what might be recommended in your situation,” says Hendrick. “The timing for these may also differ, depending on the type of vaccine,” he says.
There are differences on what the manufacturers recommend regarding timing, and some need a two-shot series the first year, and an annual booster thereafter. Some types of vaccine may require a booster for any cows that calving late—in case immunity is waning before they calve.
“Boostering at least on an annual basis can help maintain immunity. If you skip a year or two during the life of a cow and then come back with another vaccination, it may not give much protection. You need to start over with a two-shot series,” Hendrick says.
“We encourage ranchers to vaccinate the cow herd for Clostridial organisms, especially perfringens, since perfringens occasionally cause various enterotoxemia’s,” says Janzen. “Some of the perfringens (like Type C and D) can cause toxic gut infection,” he says.
“There are many vaccines, with many label claims. E. coli vaccines work so well that we tend to think everything else should work in similar fashion, but it’s not that simple. Some of the diagnoses regarding diarrhea in calves are not definitive. Most of the time we don’t know with certainty what we are dealing with, and we just play the odds,” he says. Some herds experience toxic gut infections caused by other types of perfringens. Researchers do not include perfringens type A or E in the 8-way clostridial vaccines.
Scientists study various strains of clostridia, but they exclude certain types. Manufacturers develop 8 way clostridial vaccines without including perfringens type A or E.
Veterinarians recommend the 8-way clostridial vaccines which do not cover all types.
Experts analyze the effectiveness of clostridial vaccines while noting the exclusions. A veterinarian can diagnose one of these in a herd. A separate vaccine or an autogenous vaccine can be used.
Selecting The Right Product for Your Own Situation
Dr. Chris Chase, South Dakota State University, says that when we are trying to improve colostrum quality in terms of timing (when to give the vaccine) it depends on the type of product being used.
“It is important to have maximum titers a few weeks ahead of calving. Titer level reflects what you will see in the colostrum. The antibodies are not produced in the mammary gland; they are transported from the cow’s bloodstream,” he explains.
“The mammary gland has specialized receptors to snag the antibodies. Those receptors start to show up about 4 to 6 weeks before parturition but their ability to concentrate antibodies is highest about 2 to 3 weeks prior to calving. This is when you want the cow to have peak antibody titers.”
If you vaccinate too early and the cow reaches peak level a month or more before calving, you will miss that window. “But the thing that’s important is the type of product you use. Vaccines that contain oil as an adjuvant will give antibody titers that last longer than vaccines using a different type of adjuvant. Thus, your choice of product may depend on when you have the opportunity to vaccinate the cows,” says Chase.
The vaccines that don’t use oil can get you into a problem if your calving interval is fairly long. A single vaccination might be an adequate if calving season is short. But if it’s 60 days or longer. The cows calving toward the end will have very little antibody. Compared to cows calving in the first part of the season. If you used a product that doesn’t have an oil adjuvant. Consider re-vaccinating any cows that have not yet calved. This will boost their titers so their colostrum will be more protective for their calves.
“When dealing with oil-based products. You typically have to give those earlier (farther ahead of calving) than when using the other types of vaccines. Almost all products require a 2-dose series the first time. For heifers, and for any cows that have never had the pre-calving vaccination. If you are giving 2 doses, the first one needs to be at least 10to 12 weeks away from calving. The second one about 4 to 6 weeks out from calving. He explained that you only need a single dose in subsequent years. You should give the dose 4 to 6 weeks before calving.
Pre-Calving Vaccination for Cows
