Ranching Tips & Info
Cattle Immunization & Worming Schedule
Calves at 2 months
- 8 Way Vaccine – Ultrabac 8 or any other 8 way vaccine. Prefer 5 ml dosage.
Calves 6 weeks to 8 weeks after first 8 way vaccine
- 8 Way Vaccine – Ultrabac 8 or any other 8 way vaccine – Immunization will not occur without this booster!!!, Prefer 5 ml doseage
- Worm with Ivomec Plus or generic Ivomec Plus (Noromection plus) – 1 ml per 110 lbs
Calves at Weaning
- 8 way vaccine ( Black Leg and Red Water diseases) with somnus (somnus casues mummified fetus in the uterus.)
- Vibro lepto 5 with Harjo Bovis (VL-5 HB) Venereal Diseases. Harjo bovis is a new strain that needs to be in your vaccine
- IBR, PI3, BVD, BRSV ( modified live vaccine recommended) (Diarreah, Influenza, and Respiratory diseases) , if not available use a killed vaccine: Use Novartis Vira Shield® 6+VL5 HB. This also takes care of the vaccine above. Bovine Rhinotracheitis-Virus Diarrhea-Parainfluenza 3-Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine, Killed Virus-Campylobacter Fetus-Leptospira Canicola-Grippotyphosa-Hardjo-Icterohaemorrhagiae-Pomona Bacterin
- If you do not use modified live vaccine then vaccinate with killed virus about 1 month before weaning. DO NOT USE Modified LIVE vaccine and leave the Calf on the Cow. It will make the Cow abort the calf if she is pregnant. Killed virus will not do this.
- Worm with Ivomec Plus or generic Ivomec Plus, Causes round worms and liver flukes to be removed from the body. 1 ml per 110 lbs.
- Brucelosis Vaccination by the Vet for all heifers that you keep or sell to other breeders. If you sell a heifer at the sale barn don’t worry about it.
Cows and Bulls
- 8 way vaccine with somnus
- Vibro lepto 5 with Harjo bovis
- IBR, PI3, BVD, BRSV ( killed vaccine recommended). DO NOT USE Modified LIVE on pregnant cows. Causes Abortion.
- Worm with Ivomec Plus or generic Ivomec Plus (Noromection plus). 1 ml per 110 lbs
Use of Valbazen for worming
- It is a good drench and should be used with caution. It can make cows abort if it is given within 45 days of conception. I usually give it in the 45 days after calving so that the cow has not yet bred.
- Fly / tick control : talk to your vet and see what he recommends for your area. Use Fly Tags in spring and pour in mid summer. (August)
- Lice in January & February, hair on body missing. Ivomectin pour on or Pour on lice and tick product. I have best results with Co- Ral a spray on inceticide.
When You Buy The Right Bull, “Quality is Free”
Order buyers at the local sale barn are paid to save their employer money. The only leverage the seller has is the competitive biding generated by the level of supply. The price received is the lowest common denominator factored only by pounds and visual preferences. For those that sell in this scenario, live births and weaning weights are the traits that carry the most value. A bull with high fertility and the ability to add twenty pounds to average weaning weights will offer the best return for this producer.
With the right bull, you may want to retain ownership through the feedlot and sell based on quality grade. The advantages for the producer are many. You get paid based the hard work invested in improving the quality of your cattle. Custom feedlots will finance the feed costs and provide you with assistance in insuring you get the best price for your product. In addition, you will receive valuable information about your cattle that will help you improve as well as bolster your bargaining position in future sales. When you have proof that your cattle will grade choice and convert feed at a five to one ratio, you can demand #1 feeder prices.
Compare: Cattle sired by our Red Brangus bulls have consistently met the stringent standards required for #1 feeder cattle. They convert feed at the five to one ratio and grade choice in over seventy percent of the carcasses. Our bulls offer this without sacrificing fertility, milk, or structural integrity. We have selected for balance from the very beginning because we believe all efficiency and quality traits are equally important. The Genetic Edge we have is heat tolerance with Angus carcass quality. This is why Red Brangus is “The Tropical Choice.”
RATIONS FOR DEVELOPING YOUNG BULLS
*6 rations are show which would be suitable for developing bulls, 3 with cottonseed hulls & 3 with ground hay. The growers are high roughage, lower energy, safer rations for starting bulls on feed or for Brahman cattle which do not tolerate high energy rations. The Performance Rations should give high rates of growth & development while maintaining some safety for percentage Brahman cattle. The Exteme Rations are high energy rations which should result in maximum daily gain, possibly too much fattening and more digestive problems especially for the ear-type cattle. The rations are expected to be self fed and it would be wise to feed a small amount of long grass hay to provide a margin of safety against acidosis, bloat and founder.
A trace mineral supplement is advised. Various feed additives can be added as needed.
Each producer will have to determine his performance goals for his cattle, the margin of safety he desires and then select the preferred ration. For some, the choice may be in between those provided, but any adjustments should be easily made from the information above.
NOTE THAT COTTON SEED MEAL SHOULD NOT BE FED TO BULLS!!!!
COTTONSEED MEAL CONTAINS A CHEMICAL COMPUND GOSSYPOL WHICHMAKES BULLS (AND OTHER SECIES INCLUDING HUMANS) INFERTILE.
** Soybean meal can be substituted for cottonseed meal where available.
D.B.Herd, Professor & Extension Beef Specialist-Nutrition
Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Jan, 1998
