Working with your veterinarian is important to developing a good bovine herd health program which should focus on disease prevention and treatment, parasite control, and optimization of animal well-being, production efficiency, and net return to the business unit. Our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team offers guidelines to develop a successful bovine herd health plan. 

Establish an appropriate bovine vaccination protocol

Your herd’s vaccine protocol should be based on your herd’s specific exposure risk. Our team can help you devise an appropriate regimen to protect your cattle. All vaccines should be handled and administered according to the label instructions to ensure maximum effectiveness. To establish an appropriate bovine vaccination protocol, consider the following:

  • Clostridial diseases — Calves are typically vaccinated against clostridial diseases, such as blackleg, when they are still nursing.
  • Respiratory diseases — Vaccinations before or at weaning are targeted to help reduce respiratory disease risks.
  • Vaccination before breeding — Replacement heifers and yearling bulls should be vaccinated before their first breeding season to establish strong immunity against diseases that result in reproductive loss. 
  • Infectious diseases — Vaccines for adult cows and bulls should be targeted toward infectious diseases that can cause abortions.

Establish an effective bovine biosecurity plan

An effective bovine biosecurity plan decreases disease transmission by minimizing vectors’ and biologic organisms’ movement within your operation. Biosecurity has three major components:

  • Isolation — All new cattle should be isolated for at least one month before exposure to the herd. During isolation, new cattle should be vaccinated so they are on the same protocol as the rest of the herd, and you should consider testing them to ensure they aren’t carrying diseases that could harm your existing herd. If new cattle exhibit signs, such as diarrhea, lameness, respiratory disease, excessive tearing or eye lesions, rough skin, or hair loss, our team should examine them, and the quarantine period should be extended.
  • Traffic control — Traffic control includes traffic onto and within your operation, and all vehicles, people, and animals should be considered. The goal is to minimize contamination of cattle, feed, feed handling equipment, and equipment used on cattle. 
  • Sanitation — Ensure materials, people, and equipment entering your operation are disinfected and maintain sanitary conditions of the people and equipment in your operation. 

Establish a parasite control program for bovine herd health

Implement a deworming program based on fecal egg counts. This is the most accurate way to determine your herd’s parasite load. If deworming is necessary, a broad-spectrum product should be used approximately six weeks into the grazing season to kill the majority of adult and larval nematodes and inhibit larvae. Consult our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team to determine the best deworming product for your herd. An external parasite control program is also important and should include treatment for the following:

  • Grubs — Treat for grubs after adult heel fly season using an appropriate topical/pour-on product.
  • Lice — Treat for lice in the winter, keeping in mind that you will likely need two treatments.
  • Flies — Apply insecticide fly tags when the fly population reaches 200 per animal.

Establish bovine disease management protocols

Monitor your herd frequently for signs indicating disease, and isolate and treat sick animals promptly. Observe appropriate injection routes, dosages, and withdrawal times, and only use suitable antibiotics when necessary. 

Establish a clear bovine health recordkeeping system

Keep clear, concise records of your herd’s health so you can make changes when necessary. Most producers evaluate their herd at weaning to determine the number of calves weaned per cow exposed for breeding, the percentage of the cow herd that is pregnant in a controlled breeding season, and the body condition of cows after lactation on available forage. This is also a good time to evaluate cows for conditions such as cancer eye, hoof problems, udder or teat problems, and any other disease signs.

Implementing an effective herd health program can decrease losses caused by disease and parasites, and increase your operation’s productivity. Contact our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team for a consultation to ensure your bovine herd health program is optimal.