Volume 9, No. 2
AVOID COSTLY MEDICATION ERRORS
By: Russ Schnepper, D.V.M.
Vaccines and pharmaceuticals are expensive. Use them in a fashion that gives the best benefit to your animals and your bottom line.
Immunoboost has proven to be the most effective enhancement to the calf's health that I have ever used. Immunoboost causes the animal's own immune
system to respond within two hours of injection. The huge amounts of interferon produced persist for seven days. Use the Immunoboost to cover a seven day
period that is a problem in your operation. You can wait until the first calf gets sick and then inject the entire group. Most facilities have a pattern of illness
that usually strikes at a particular time, such as day 5, or 8, etc. Immunoboost is most effective if given a day ahead of the usual problem. It is important to
remember the interferon effect lasts for seven days. Injecting Immunoboost at the same time a vaccine is administered increases the titers developed from the
vaccines. The calf will have a stronger and longer lasting resistance to the disease being vaccinated against. Likewise, the Immunoboost enhances the feed
efficiency and rate of gain, producing a more profitable calf. Disease protection for E coli, salmonella, rota and corona virus, respiratory pathogens and a
multitude of other disease problems is for only seven days. Immunoboost can be used profitably every seven days in expensive heifers or a severe disease
challenge.
MODIFIED LIVE VIRUS VACCINES, (Bovishield, Pyramid, Titanium, Express, Herd Vac, etc., any vaccine that comes in two bottles and has to be mixed
before use) are worthless if not used immediately after mixing. I see the left over vaccine being saved and then being mixed with a fresh batch. The old, dead
vaccine kills the new vaccine virus, rendering it ineffective. FREEZING DOES NOT keep the left over vaccine alive. (The only product I am aware of that can
be frozen and then used is Naxcel.) Discard any left over vaccine immediately after finishing your job so there is not a risk of attempting to use the left overs at
a later date. Left over vaccine can be given to individual poor doing calves. JUST DO NOT SAVE THE RECONSTITUTED VACCINE.
Deccox (decoquinate) is only soluble in chloroform. There is no way any form of decoquinate is soluble in milk or water. The lactose carrier may dissolve but
the decoquinate does not. You will not see as little as 50 mg (a tooth pick full) that settles out. If the decoquinate is diluted with corn meal or rice hulls, it
sticks to it. If ½ teaspoonful of the 6% is left in the bottle or bucket, the calf did not get it. You must get the decoquinate into the calf or it will not work!
Start the decoquinate immediately upon arrival - it takes four days before you will see any benefit.
Calf Pro (a liquid Bovatec) probably controls Crypto. You best know what you are doing as the effective dose is near the toxic dose. I do not recommend it as
too many people are not diligent and I have seen as high as 100% dead calves after one treatment. Calf raisers that have learned how to use it by trial and error
get by most of the time.
Contact information for ordering information and questions about our products:
Schnepper International, Inc.
3162 County B, Platteville, WI 53818
608-348-6141, Fax: 608-348-6146
www.calfdoctor.com email: rschnep@mhtc.net