OCR Text |
Show Vaccinate calves early "Remember that brucellosis is an irradicable disease. Compliance with the procedures established by the federal and state animal health agencies are sufficient to achieve this goal where there is full cooperation by cattle owners." "Research indicates I that calves develop immunity to brucellosis just as well when vaccinated vac-cinated at two months of age as when they are older," said Dr. Clell V. Bagley, DVM, extension veterinarian, Utah State University. He urges dairy and beef cattle producers to vaccinate their heifer calves as soon as possible after two months of age, He said this will reduce the chance of a slip-up and failing to vaccinate the animal before it becomes too old-over six months for dairy heifers and 10 months for beef heifers. "Vaccinating young," he explained, "reduces the problems of residual blood test titers. The animals are not apt to show up as positive reactors later when blood tested to detect brucellosis. Guidelines indicate that only heifer calves are to be vaccinated. This must be done by a state-accredited veterinarian or federal-state federal-state technician to assure proper handling and administration of the live vaccine and minimize the hazard of it accidently being injected into humans. Official vaccinates vac-cinates . must be identified with legible tatoo and an official DHIA, registration or specific brucellosis tag in the right ear. The Utah extension veterinarian tells dairy and beef cattle owners, "Remember that official calfhood vaccination is an effective and integral part of brucellosis irradication and control in Utah." However, he warns that Utah faces danger of becoming a "dumping ground" for un-vaccinated un-vaccinated female cattle and a resulting greatly increased risk of new outbreaks in the state. These "dumped cattle" are unvaccinated ones which cannot be sold in states that now require cattle to be officially vaccinated of they cannot be imported. He urges Utah producers to strongly consider a similar statewide program. Dr.' Bagley asks individual in-dividual producers, "Does your on-going animal health program provide adequate safeguards against brucellosis?" |