Calf Talk

January, 2010

Volume 16, No. 1

SALE BARN CALVES PERFORM BETTER

By: Russ Schnepper, D.V.M.

Quite often calves purchased from the sale barn perform better than calves obtained from a single source. Calves vaccinated with a Modified Live Virus Vaccine and/or given Immunoboost the day of arrival into the calf barn respond better to vaccines. Both the vaccine and Immunoboost cause the calf’s own immune system to produce interferon, which is Mother Nature’s own medicine. There are fewer sick calves. This was a shock to me several years ago. Now I think it is pretty routine for the sale barn calves to adjust to their new surroundings and have fewer sick days than calves that originate from a single farm. The calf’s immune system responds to an immune stimulus by making antibodies to all the pathogens the calf has ever seen. The process of going through the sale barn and the trucking to and from the barn exposes the calf to many pathogens. The stress is short term, only a one day affair. He goes through the barn and to a new home, as well as meets with many new calf neighbors. The interferon protects him. I think the high level interferon effect only lasts for approximately three days. This is why I vaccinate calves that are added to a group as well as all the calves in the original group, if it has been more than a week since their last vaccination or Immunoboost injection.

There is a scenario in which you can vaccinate the calves with all the wrong vaccines and still be successful, if the calves have been exposed to the disease germs you are trying to prevent. Memory cells are part of the calf’s immune system and cause the production of antibodies the memory cells have been exposed to.

Antibody production is not free. Antibodies are composed of proteins. Protein is shifted to antibody production when it is needed rather than producing muscle on the calf. I feel programs that are continuously vaccinating the calf, often times for diseases the calf is not likely to get, costs in a lower rate of weight gain.

An efficient immune system must be well nourished. The two important ingredients that are often deficient in the calf’s diet are protein and selenium. An injection of selenium lasts approximately three weeks. Over dosing in one injection does not work. The calf will only absorb what he can use and the rest will be excreted in the feces. A daily dose of selenium in the milk is better than depending upon injections. However, purchased calves have an unknown history and I recommend injecting selenium the day of purchasing. Then if there is adequate selenium in the milk another injection is not necessary. But if selenium is deficient in the milk, another injection at three to four weeks is beneficial.

Please remember the calf is pretty tough and many will live in spite of what you and I do to them. Let’s work with the calf’s natural immune system and raise a healthy calf without the need for lots of antibiotics. Vaccines and Immunoboost utilize the calf’s own immune system. Feed the calf properly and keep him clean, dry, and comfortable, and he will perform well for you. Be all in and all out in your facility.

Contact information for ordering information and questions about our products:

Schnepper International, Inc.

3210 County B, Platteville, WI 53818

608-348-6141, Fax: 608-348-6146