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Guide B-222
John Wenzel, Boone Carter, Clay P. Mathis1
Respectively, Extension Veterinarian, Extension Associate, and Extension Livestock Specialist, Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources,
1
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vaccination usually does not provide sufficient Glossary
protection. Most vaccines require a booster two Pathogen: disease-causing agent
to four weeks after the initial vaccination and an-
nually thereafter. The goal is to stimulate the im- Antigens: molecules unique to each pathogen by which
mune system by repeated exposure to an antigen so the immune system recognizes the pathogen.
antibodies are present in the body at a level that is Modified live vaccines (ML): vaccines containing live
highly protective if exposure to the actual pathogen microbes that have been modified so that they have
occurs. However, disease may still occur in cases the antigen components of the disease-causing agent
where pathogen exposure exceeds the animal’s pro- but do not cause disease
tective level for that disease.
Killed vaccines: vaccines containing antigen compo-
nents or pieces of the disease-causing agent
Why vaccinated animals still
sometimes get sick Intramuscular injection: injection directly into muscle
The most common reason vaccinated animals get tissue
sick is because they fail to fully respond to vaccina- Subcutaneous injection: injection into the fatty layer
tion. Procedures to maximize immune response in- of tissue immediately beneath the skin
clude following label directions for timing, route of
administration, and proper vaccine handling, and Booster vaccination: second vaccination to stimulate
minimizing stress that can suppress immune func- the immune system by repeated exposure to an antigen
tion. Some vaccines, especially MLs, must be han-
dled very carefully. Exposure to heat, exposure to Congenital immunodeficiency: weakness of the im-
sunlight, or being mixed too long prior to use can mune system present at birth
reduce a vaccine’s effectiveness. All vaccines must be
kept cool, even while the vaccine is in the syringe.
Nevertheless, even when everything is done correct-
ly some animals fail to mount an immune response
sufficient to create immunity to the disease. Fac-
tors contributing to this failure are poor nutrition,
including micro and macro mineral imbalance or
deficiency; congenital immunodeficiency; and poor
overall health.
While it does not provide perfect protection,
vaccination is the most effective tool available to
prepare an animal’s immune system to respond to
disease challenges. A sound vaccination program
developed with your veterinarian and carried out
using proper timing and technique is critically im-
portant to maintaining the health and profitability
of your herd.
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of Agriculture cooperating.