CALF_News_December_2020_January_2021

17 CALF News • December 2020 | January 2021 • www.calfnews.net Weaned Calves and Yearlings The conundrum of a pneumonia out- break is especially difficult after weaning, when stress abounds like no other time. Nasal vaccination is especially helpful at this time when mucosal tissue is poten- tially loaded with harmful contaminants; 90 percent of pathogens enter cattle through the mucosal surface. Nasal vaccine is most effective, since there is more lymph tissue in the head area than any other part of the body. These lymph nodes can be stimulated in a very short time to protect calves, starting right where pathogens enter. The availability of lymph tissue and proximity of vaccine administration is paramount to success- ful immunization. Parks warned against over-vaccinat- ing livestock. Many producers work calves in the fall, preconditioning on the cow or on the day of weaning. It is a rare opportunity to capture and vaccinate. Subsequently, it’s easy to take this time to overstimulate the immune system, administer incompat- ible vaccines, or give shots in too few locations. We are warned that the administra- tion of too many gram-negative vac- cines at one time can lead to shock-type reactions. Their byproduct, endotoxin, can be fatal when calves are overloaded. Pinkeye, Pasteurella and E.coli vaccines are typically gram negative. Hot, humid weather can adversely affect calves on working day, and feedlot dust contrib- utes to the problem by contamination with gram negative bacteria. Be judicious in your choice of vaccines and make sure they are administered according to label directions. Handling for Success Parks recommends using a cannula on your syringe to administer Nasalgen®3. He likes the way it deposits the product far back in the nasal cavity. The farther back, the better, Parks says, so tip the animal’s head back, use a cannula and make sure it stays in the nostril well to ensure a good reaction to the vaccine. He also recommends a new can- nula for each calf, to protect against the spread of pathogens from calf to calf. Nasalgen®3 is administered in a 2-mil- liliter dose. It is blue; color was added to help flag misplaced product and monitor employee skills – health products are only as good as the people who handle them. It can be used with a stand-alone BVD vaccine. Merck Animal Health rec- ommends revaccinating in six months. The new Merck product solidifies the company’s mission to strengthen immune systems in livestock, leading to a reduced use of antibiotics. Better livestock health benefits us all. Dr. Tim Parks is a specialist in pro- duction medicine in the cow-calf and stocker sector. He is a Kansas native who has owned his own large animal veterinary clinic and became proficient in orthopedic surgery in small animals, as well. He earned his veterinary degree at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and is married to Dyann.  INTRODUCING MAGNIVA ® FORAGE INOCULANTS THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE IS IN YOUR HANDS Drive herd health and performance to the next level with plentiful, high-quality, clean feed and magnify the value of your silage quality. www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com www.lallemandani malnutrition.com Take control at MAGNIVA.COM/NORTHAMERICA POW!