Calf Talk

May, 2004

Volume 10, No.5

IMMUNOBOOST INCREASES AVERAGE DAILY GAIN BY 15%

By: Russ Schnepper, D. V. M.

Three trials, conducted in California, Florida, and Texas, confirm Immunoboost increases average daily gain by 15%.

In a California study, conducted on 400 hutch raised calves. One ml Immunoboost was administered on day of birth. The calves were given the ranch’s routine processing. 300 calves also received one ml Immunoboost IV, subcutaneously, or IM and 100 calves were used as untreated controls. All routes of administration were effective.

The Immunoboost treated calves gained an average of 0.14 pounds per day more than the control calves over the 75-day trial.

The Immunoboost treated calves, required 17% less antibiotic treatment than controls.

Immunoboost treated calves had an average treatment cost of $4.33. Control treatment costs were $5.09/calf for the 75-day period. This is a 18% decrease in treatment cost.

62 head of 500 to 600-pound mixed breed heifers and steers were trucked to a Florida backgrounding facility and processed shortly after arrival. Each received a Pasteurella bacterin, 7-way Clostridial/Haemophilus bacterin, Micotil, and Ivomec Plus. They were all given modified live IBR, BVD, PI3, and BRSV vaccine. 20 treated calves were given 1 ml Immunoboost subcutaneously, while the others acted as controls. The Immunoboost calves gained 73 pounds while the controls gained 63 for an average daily gain of 1.92 compared with 1.67 for the controls. The improved daily gain was 14% over the 38 day trial period.

A Texas panhandle study involves 3,965 Holstein steer calves weighing 185 to 280 pounds. The steers have been followed for 35 days and the following are the preliminary results. More data will be available at close outs. 1,383 calves were treated with 2 ml of Immunoboost subcutaneously and 2,582 acted as controls. All were given the usual feedlot protocol. 2.67% of Immunoboost calves died and 3.19% of the control calves, for a 19.4% reduction in deads. Treatment costs averaged $5.73/head for the Immunoboost calves and $7.29 for the controls, for a reduction of 27.2% in treatment costs. Feed intakes were 0.73 pounds per head higher for the Immunoboost treated calves than the controls. The decreases in mortality, cull rates and total medicine costs yield a positive 20.8% net return on investment for the Immunoboost-treated calves.

Immunoboost offers calf raisers a tool to increase the calf’s rate of gain, reduce the treatment costs and reduce the death loss, producing a heavier calf on less feed. A veal producer could make up for the lack of an implant by using Immunoboost. It just will not increase the loin eye.

More info is available at www.calfdoctor.com and www.immunoboost.info.

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