The Cattle Vaccination Refresher Many Beef Producers Need

Healthy cattle start with proper care, and vaccination is one of the most important tools beef producers have to protect herd health and prepare calves for the next step in the production chain.

Whether you need a refresher, were never formally taught the right technique, or want a helpful training resource for family members, employees, or others who help on your operation, a recent Rural Resilience webinar may be worth a look.

In the session, Dr. Katie Rein of Crazy Mountain Veterinary Service shares practical guidance on proper livestock vaccination techniques.

“We want to inject in a safe area for the animal so we're not going to cause any adverse tissue damage and we want to not inject in valuable pieces of meat. So we're not going to inject anything in the butt, and we're going to try to do everything in the ‘safe zone.’”

That safe zone, according to Rein, is a triangular area on the side of the neck — helping protect both the animal and carcass quality.

The webinar also covers needle size selection, injection methods, and practical tips to make vaccinations safer and less stressful for both cattle and crew.

To see the vaccination safe zone charted on an animal and watch the full webinar, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEVQMhK5448&list=PL4o5WDFewKec-Wb2Wq09nTgdeTwf4vUV-&index=2