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By Lana Robinson
Field Editor
"Anything worth doing is worth doing right" is an axiom we all grew up with, and one that certainly applies when vaccinating your cattle. Don't give in to the temptation to rush the cattle through the chute, when it's hot and you've got lots to do. If you do, Dr. Ron Gill, professor and Extension livestock specialist for the Texas Cooperative Extension Service, says you may fail to get the most out of your vaccine investment.
Gill told producers gathered at McGregor for a Winter Pasture and Stocker Cattle workshop in August that correct handling, storage and administration of vaccines all play important roles in protecting cattle from disease. And he emphasized that taking the necessary time to administer shots properly is important.
"Most everyone's in a hurry to get it done and get on to something else," Gill said. "It takes someone who's committed to getting it done and done right."
Gill encouraged producers to administer vaccines according to beef quality assurance (BQA) guidelines, even if pressed for time. He reminded producers never to administer injections into the hindquarters. Intramuscular (IM) injections given in the hip at branding have been shown to cause injection site blemishes identifiable in the steaks from that animal, and it toughens the meat several inches around the injection site. Instead, he recommended that IM and subcutaneous (sub-Q) injections should be administered in front of the shoulder, preferably in the tightened injection site zone.
Gill said the best way to work cattle is to keep them calm, because vaccines work better in a non-stressed animal than one that is stressed.
"Anything you can do to lower the stress level of the cattle, you're going to help the animal's system respond better to the vaccines," he said.
For maximum return, Gill advised producers to follow two important steps: (1) Take time to follow all label directions; and (2) Administer the vaccines correctly.
Gill said far too many cowmen purchase their vaccines and then put them on the dash of the pickup, or leave them in a hot truck all day while running errands.
"I carry an ice chest with me, and a frozen packet, and immediately put the vaccine in the cooler," said Gill. "Heat and ultraviolet light destroys the vaccines quickly. You need to keep them cool, even between shots when you're working cattle."
He showed workshop participants his trusty styrofoam ice chest with holes cut in the side for holding his syringes between injections. He said it was a timesaver because he doesn't have to lift the lid to retrieve them.
Gill advised producers to refrain from mixing more than 30-minutes worth of vaccine at a time to ensure efficacy.
He also suggested that unused and unmixed products should be stored in a closed, refrigerated container until needed.
