Animal Health Information

Your spring vaccination and processing program can include a few very important steps to maintain the health of your herd. The definition of spring vaccinations can vary depending if you are talking about fall born calves and early January and February show calves versus yearling heifers and bulls. Either way, being prepared to vaccinate, deworm and castrate your calves in the spring is a sound management tool to maintain healthy animals as they move through your production system. Often, this will be the last time your cows and calves are handled before headed to grass for the summer.

A dog's immune system is usually fully operational by four months of age. Through their adult years, a dog's ability to fight off common ailments is at its peak. However, as our canine companions grow into their senior years, the immune system is not as good at fighting off the common invaders of the body, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungal elements. Similar to humans, as dogs start to age, they lose the ability to produce some of the protective cells needed to keep them healthy. Elderly people are commonly advised to get flu shots, for instance, as their immune system ages with them. So too, as our pets age, vaccinations for protection generally become even more critical.