Vaccinations/medications for Calves

[Ryesdexters]

Hi Everyone,
Weve recently had two bull calves and as this is our first time calving can anyone advise if there is any vaccinations or anything we sould be doing to the calves that we may have missed?
So Far we've:
-Banded
-Booked Vet for Debudding
Thanks

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Since your vet is going to do the disbudding, that may well be an ideal chance to have a good discussion about your herd health and what local problems may exist. There are so many vaccines for so many diseases and local circumstances vary so much.

Duncan

[davidw]

I don't mean to insult you Duncan, but I've stopped using my vet for disbudding as he made a terrible mess. I have one horned cows and half horned animals from his efforts. I now use a hoof and horn contractor who does a much tidier and successful job. Probably horses for courses, but dehorning isn't his best skill.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Hello David,

No I don't feel insulted, why should I as I am not your vet!! In fact I do think Dexter calves are probably more difficult to make a good job disbudding or dehorning than most - they seem to need a wide margin round the visible horn to ensure no re-growth, I see lots in different herds and at sales which could have been done better, and I have a bull myself who answers that description.

But the point of my post was to try to encourage Ryesdexters to use their vet to help with identifying beneficial vaccines for their herd. More vets are now involved with herd health plans etc and the local practice to any herd should be best placed to advise - assuming that is that they are a practice normally involved with cattle.

Duncan

[Ryesdexters]

Thank you for the info. In answer to Davidw - I can understand why you have change to a different person for your disbudding if your vet was messing it up but their not all bad!!!!! ;0)
My vet is fantastic and has looked after all our sheep, goats, dogs and now dexters.
Lets just hope he doesn't let me down on disbudding!!!!

[Broomcroft]

We don't vaccinate except for BVD at that's at 8+ months if I remember correctly. And then, we only do breeding animals, not anything fat. But we lost an Angus bull last year (probably due to Tetanus) and the vet said a 7-in-1 (or whatever it is) vaccination would probably have prevented it. So we're going to do that in future with a booster each year.

If your vet is disbudding, is he/she going to castrate at the same time? We do both together, not had any problems. Or are you keeping them both as bulls or castrating later? Vet can do it later. But Dexters will be active very early if left entire.

With calves we always watch out for scouring or them looking unhappy. Then deal with the problem as necessary. Later on could be worms or cocci, you can usually get a dung sample tested to see what to do, or your vet may be able to tell just by looking.

We had pneumonia in a calf once and injected it as soon as it appeared to be a bit off colour / snotty / noisy breathing ... he got better almost immediately, but need to be quick.

Keep an eye on the cows for mastitis. Sometimes the calf won't suckle all the teats and maybe that helps to develop mastitis, don't know. But keep an eye on their udders to see all teats are being used, and if not keep a close eye on the ones that aren't, may look swollen, stiff, red, uncomfortable, cow walking funny as though it hurts ... again act quickly.