Medications to keep on hand

[stifflej]

I will be getting a couple Angus heifers in a couple weeks for my first try at raising my own beef. I saw in previous posts that some of you give an injection when you buy a calf to help protect against ailments caused by stress from the move, what is it that you give them? Also, what would all you seasoned farmhands recommend that I keep on hand for common ailments?

Thanks in advance, John.

[francismilker]

Around my neck of the woods, some people give a shot of NuFlor when they arrive as a preventative measure against whatever they may have came into contact with at the sale barn. What you keep on hand depends a lot on their age. If they are young unweined calves, keep anti-scour equipment on hand (esophgal feeding tube, scour pills, electrolyes) If they are weined and eating grass and grain, they are usually pretty hardy but you may want to make sure they are vaccinated with a "7-way" shot and wormed with a good quality wormer. They also need a well rounded free choice loose mineral kept out for them. The only drug I keep on hand usually is LA-200 for pnuemonia and respiratory stress and some Baytril for use as an anti-inflammatory. I also give them a Black-Leg vaccine.

Seeing you're from PA, things may be different in a colder climate. Make sure that you pay close attention to the proper withdrawel time for slaughter on whatever drug you ever have to give them. But, for the most part, cattle on grass, hay, and grain are pretty healthy and maintenance free when it comes to giving meds around here as long as a good vaccination and worming program is followed.

[translplant]

Remember you will need to booster within the recommended time period (usually 3-6 weeks) for any of the vaccines you give to be effective at all. Otherwise it's just like pouring it down the drain.

[stifflej]

What would you recommend as a good "dewormer"?

[francismilker]

I personally prefer Ivomec Plus injectable.

[menollyrj]

We keep LA-200 (generic) & ivermectin pour-on wormer for weaned/grown cattle. We also vaccinate yearly w/7-way clostridial & Triangle-9, but not until they are beyond 4 months old. For bottle calves, we keep Sulmet liquid, imodium (people medicine), Excede (from vet), electrolytes, and a tube feeder, as well as syringes. If you plan on steering by cutting, you'll need iodine or some other topical antibacterial.

ETA: We give a shot of Excede when they come in the barn, but LA-200 would work as well. You can also get an antibiotic bolus if you'd rather not give shots.

-Joy

[Ronney]

I actually keep as little as possible on hand because I never seem to need it and I end up throwing out expensive stuff that has gone past it's use by date. And, unlike many of you people, I'm only 20kms away from the vet and if I do need stuff I can nip into town and pick it up or get Kevin to pick it up on his way home from work.

Having said that, there are some basic things I always have on hand. Cattle and sheep drench and pig wormer. Cattle drench is Genisis Ultra as it covers Liver Fluke. Iodine, Stockholm Tar, Penicillan, syringes and an assortment of needles, fly strike powder for cattle and sheep wounds, Auromycin, tubes for calves, lambs and piglets in the unlikely event I ever need them - I've used the lamb one once!

Cheers,
Ronnie

[michiganfarmer]

we keep a bottle of vitamins A,D,& E around, and give our newborns a shot withiin a couple hours of birth.