Preparing for the Fall Run

By Taylor Grussing

In the Upper Midwest, nearly 75% of calves are born in the spring calving season (January to May) according to USDA Beef Cow/calf management survey in 2017. This means that a majority of operations are getting ready for the fall run of selling calves or giving preconditioning shots before weaning. With calves ranging from 4 to 8 months of age in some groups, there are differences that may need to be considered depending on vaccinations, sale plans, and feed availability.

Preconditioning Shots

In order to set the immune system up for shipping or weaning stress, preconditioning shots can be given to calves alongside cows while still on grass. These vaccinations are geared towards prevention of respiratory diseases and clostridial infections. A combination of vaccine types (5-way viral and 7 way vaccines) are available to stimulate the immune system to fight off these diseases. Best management practices recommend revaccination or “booster” of these shots three to four weeks following initial administration for improved immune response. Consult with a Veterinarian on the best vaccination program for different age calves, as well as other processing stressors (castration or dehorning) that may need to be planned before or after weaning. Even if calves are going to be sold straight off the cow, preconditioning shots help sellers deliver healthy calves that benefit both the seller and buyer.