Cattle Vaccination Schedule: What Mason County Ranchers Need to Know

A vaccination program only works if it's timed to your calving schedule and your herd's actual exposure risk — a calendar copied from a neighboring ranch in a different county often misses the mark. Here's the framework we build from for most Hill Country cow-calf operations.

Calves typically get their first round — covering clostridial diseases like blackleg, plus respiratory protection against IBR, BVD, PI3, and BRSV — at branding or turnout, with a booster 3-4 weeks later. This two-shot window is what actually builds protective immunity; a single dose often isn't enough.

Replacement heifers need a modified-live BVD vaccine timed well before breeding, since BVD is one of the most costly and preventable causes of reproductive loss in Texas herds. We'll walk through the timing relative to your breeding season on a farm visit.

Adult cows are boosted annually, usually alongside preg-checking in the fall, which keeps handling to a minimum. Bulls need their own protocol, including trich testing if you're bringing in outside bulls or sharing pasture with neighboring herds.

The right schedule depends on your calving window, whether you background calves or sell at weaning, and your neighbors' herd health — so treat this as a starting point, not a substitute for building your specific protocol with us.