BEEF COW MANAGEMENT - PREBREEDING: Vaccination

Vaccination is like taking out insurance. Although all diseases may not occur every year, one knows that your herd is largely protected against the most important preventable diseases if an appropriate vaccination program is followed. 

1. Modified “live” vaccines
Vaccination should not be done closer than 30 before the breeding season. Furthermore, it is important to remember that the immune response of cows is not optimal during the first 30 days after calving. This therefore, leaves us with only one month to vaccinate with so-called "live" vaccines, e.g.:

BVD, IBR, PI₃, BRSV combination, Rift Valley fever (especially in high-risk years), Lumpy Skin disease and Three-day-stiff disease (more important for bulls). Contagious abortion (RB51) may cause abortions and must therefore be vaccinated before breeding. NB. Remember that preferably no more than one "live" vaccine should be administered at the same time.

2. Inactivated (“dead”) vaccines
Can / should be given closer to the breeding season eg: Vibriosis and "Pink eye"
It is always recommended to set up an appropriate vaccination program in collaboration with the local veterinarian who is familiar with the most prevelant  diseases to be vaccinated against.