Anaplasmosis
The live Anaplasmosis vaccine for California producers is now off the market. What does this mean for you as a producer? The live vaccine was a lifetime vaccine given to bulls or heifers less than a year of age. Most of the bull producers in our area utilized this live vaccine, meaning the bulls we purchased were lifetime vaccinated for anaplasmosis. The vaccine that is available now is a killed vaccine that comes from CCA. This vaccine requires two initial doses with an annual booster. I recommend you talk your bull source about if your bulls are vaccinated and how. If you consider your herd at risk then you need to protect your investment by ordering the killed vaccine and administering it annually. This holds true for cows and heifers if you consider your herd high risk. The vaccine can be ordered directly from CCA by calling (916) 444-0845 or I can order it for you. Currently available in 10 or 50 dose bottles.
Trace Mineral Supplementation
The table above shows liver mineral results from necropsies I have submitted recently. Any liver copper level less than 10 can result in death. Less than the acceptable range of 25 can result in poor doing, decreased gain, poor immune function, diarrhea and poor reproduction. Any selenium below 0.25 in the liver can result in the same. I often see cases where trace mineral blocks or protein with a mineral pack often result in cattle with mineral deficiencies. A quality loose mineral is necessary to ensure trace mineral levels that are within the normal range in cattle on native and irrigated pastures in our area. Quality loose minerals range in price from $22-32 per 50 pound bag. Feeding rate for these products is typically 4 ounces per day making the yearly supplement cost per cow per year about $45. Oregon State University conducted a study titled “Effects of Organic or Inorganic Co, Cu, Mn and Zn Supplementation to Late Gestating Beef Cows on Productive and Physiological Responses of the Offspring.” In this study they found that calves born to dams supplemented with inorganic trace minerals were 25 pounds heavier at weaning than the controls. Calves born to dams supplemented with organic trace minerals were 53 pounds heavier at weaning than controls and 28 pounds heavier than the inorganic supplemented calves. Given the heavier weaning weights calves born to the cows supplemented with organic trace minerals were worth $70 more per head. Those same calves were 68 pounds heavier when finished, with a 42 pound heavier hot carcass weight. Between weaning and the feedlot 22% fewer of the organic mineral group calves were treated for respiratory disease. If you need assistance selecting or comparing mineral please call me.
Foothill Abortion Trial Progress
I recently contacted Myra Blanchard who works with Dr. Jeff Stott on the Foothill Abortion Trial and she said that she hopes to be sending out the confirmations for participation in the 2019-20 trial in the next couple weeks. This means that the vaccine will remain experimental for the remainder of 2019 and things will proceed as they have in the past. The company that is bringing the vaccine to market is working with USDA APHIS currently and maybe by the 2020 season it will be available.
Save The Date
Tuesday April 9th 6 pm at the Branding Iron in Merced we will have a Cow-Calf meeting sponsored by Zoetis. Topics will include calf vaccinations and the value added. Cow herd vaccination considerations. Speakers will include Dr. Nichols Zoetis and Max Olvera Turlock Livestock.
For the meeting flyer, click here.