Never Been Taught the Right Way to Vaccinate Cattle?
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.
On many Montana operations, that work often happens during branding or when calves are being preconditioned. And when neighbors, friends, and extra hands show up to help, it’s important everyone working cattle knows the right way to give a shot.
Whether you need a refresher, were never formally taught the right technique, or want a helpful training resource for friends, family members, or others helping 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 — he lping 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
