Two articles from the November 2015 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman are worthy of consideration when interacting with dairymen, herdsmen and/or their veterinarian. 1) Geof W. Smith, D.V.M., NC State Raleigh, NC, walks through the features, functions and benefits of intranasal vaccines and makes some general recommendations for when to use them. 2) Colostrum efficacy is discussed relative to bacteria colonization in a brief review of a recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, November 2015 pages 717-718.
“Intranasal Vaccines”: A short-term immunity boost – ultimately, the decision on what type of vaccine to use and when to vaccinate should be a decision made by the producer and his or her veterinarian. In general, consider using intranasal vaccines under the following conditions: 1. Pneumonia in preweaned calves, 2. High-risk calves after shipping, 3. Pneumonia right after weaning.
“Colostrum”: The important point from this research that we must understand is that any bacteria the calf consumes can affect the ability to absorb IgG. Regardless of the bedding material, ensuring that it is clean will not only benefit the newborn (calf) but may also reduce potential incidence of mastitis and metritis in fresh cows. In addition, it is important to feed clean colostrum to calves. Colostrum may become contaminated during collection and feeding or bacteria may grow during storage.
INSIGHTS: Being aware of these two articles may help start a conversation with a dairy customer or client about vaccine protocols or colostrum brand decisions. Both articles have the potential to allow for a “value-added” discussion or dialogue which could produce a win-win-win set of decisions. Consider referencing the article(s) as you work with dairy customers and clients.