Ask the Vet
Are Brucellosis Vaccinations Still Needed?
READER: Years ago, we vaccinated our calves for brucellosis, but after our state was declared free, we stopped. I read that there are still occasional cases found out West. Is there any reason to start back?
DR. McMILLAN: One of the great success stories of the USDA is the eradication of both brucellosis and tuberculosis from most of the United States. Both diseases were brought under control through an aggressive testing program and, with brucellosis, calfhood vaccination.
Today, there are only occasional spillover cases of brucellosis in cattle around Yellowstone National Park. Wild bison and elk are thought to be the last remaining reservoir of this disease in the country.
Brucellosis is a serious disease of cattle and other livestock that can lead to abortion and infertility. Additionally, the disease is zoonotic with veterinarians and farmers who have acquired the disease, causing life-altering effects.
I would suggest talking with your veterinarian to see if vaccination makes sense. For all vaccines, we recommend doing a risk assessment. For example, in Alabama, we do not routinely recommend vaccination of Lyme disease in dogs because it's uncommon in our area. If I practiced in areas where the disease is "endemic," a fancy technical word that means common in a particular area, I would recommend it. For most of our producers, we do not recommend brucellosis vaccination. We have a couple of purebred producers who market cattle out West who chose to vaccinate. This is more of a marketing decision rather than for prevention of disease in their herds.
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The vaccine must be given by a veterinarian accredited by the USDA. A special tattoo with the letter R, the official USDA "shield," and the last digit of the year of vaccination, is placed in the center rib of the right ear. An orange electronic ID button is also placed in the right ear. An official form is completed and submitted to the state veterinarian office.
READER: Do you give your breeding bulls CattleMaster Gold and blackleg? If not, what do you give your breeding bulls?
DR. McMILLAN: If properly vaccinated with clostridials as calves and boostered as yearlings, I would not worry about blackleg in your bulls.
In an ideal world, I would vaccinate with a modified live vaccine that included infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine viral diarrhea, parainfluenza-3 virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus and leptospirosis. If there is any concern over vibriosis, I like the monovalent Vibrin vaccine given at the same time.
An excellent time to vaccinate is when you do Breeding Soundness Exams (BSE) on the bulls. I prefer that modified live vaccines in cows and bulls be given one to two months before breeding.
For most producers, it's hard to get the timing right; the vaccine comes in five-, 10- and 50-dose vials, and most folks only have one or two bulls. For most operations, a killed product like a CattleMaster Gold FP5 L5 would be sufficient, especially if the bulls got modified live vaccines as calves and as yearlings. Again, when you do the BSE, one to two months prior to turnout is a great time to vaccinate bulls.
Not to belabor the point, but be sure to perform the BSE on every bull every year.
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-- Please contact your veterinarian with questions pertaining to the health of your herd. Every operation is unique, and the information in this column does not pertain to all situations. This is not intended as medical advice but is purely for informational purposes.
-- These are only my thoughts and general guidelines. Please get with your veterinarian and together develop the best program for your herd.
-- Email Dr. Ken McMillan at vet@dtn.com
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