brucellosis vaccine

I just returned from the vet clinic.  He accidentally gave one of my bull calves the brucellosis vaccine.  He immediately called the state vet's office, they said they would call the fed. vet's office.  The fed office didn't call back yet.  I looked through the internet regarding the vaccine and could find no information on any possible adverse side affects when a bull accidentally gets the shot.  I'm sure this has happened before and nobody even knew about it.  I would appreciate any information. 

The vaccine will probably not hurt the bull, but the problem will be that if he is ever tested for Brucellosis, he may test positive. That may cause some grief so I would suggest that this be discussed with your vets and find out the proper way of handling this issue.

oakview said:

I just returned from the vet clinic.  He accidentally gave one of my bull calves the brucellosis vaccine.  He immediately called the state vet's office, they said they would call the fed. vet's office.  The fed office didn't call back yet.  I looked through the internet regarding the vaccine and could find no information on any possible adverse side affects when a bull accidentally gets the shot.  I'm sure this has happened before and nobody even knew about it.  I would appreciate any information. 

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Brucellosis is a federally regulated disease (like TB) so your vet called the state vet not because your bull calf is  in danger but because the law requires him to do so. The way the law reads is that the vaccine is to be used for vaccination of heifers (age varies by state) - after vaccination vets are required to submit a vaccination record. Vaccinating out of the age range or non females requires permission from the feds (special circumstances). The vaccine is safe (I am assuming he used RB51 and not strain 19) and should not be a problem - here is a link to vaccine information - you should be fine but you should request your vet do a crotch check before the next time he vaccinates your heifers!

PS - RB51 will NOT be a problem with Brucellosis testing, strain 19 can be but usually isn't after some period of time (18 months maybe)

RB51 was used, the vet was mostly checking with the fed and state offices to see if he needed to tattoo and tag the calf for the brucellosis vaccine like he does my heifers.  He said he was concerned that the vaccine could cause swelling of the testicles which could pose fertility problems and wanted to check on that.  According to what he said and what I've read, the RB51 vaccine should all but eliminate the "false positive" test results that the old vaccine could cause.  When I was scanning the internet, I did read an article that some ranchers out west were finding that the vaccine "wears out" after a period of time.  They claimed that some of their females that were vaccinated later tested positive because of their prolonged exposure to bison, elk, etc.  The article stated that research was ongoing.  I don't know all the technical issues with the vaccine and don't care to, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Of course my calf is the best 2008 bull calf I raised.  The vet was very upset and concerned and I appreciated that.  I had 80% heifer calves this year, of the 18 calves I hauled to the clinic 14 were heifers.  He had his syringes all laid out and had the routine going.  We were probably talking about the election and he understandibly lost his concentration!  As I pushed the calf into the chute, I commented about his quality, his striking color, and how he would be a herd bull for me.  About 15 seconds later, he turned, looked at me and said, "I just ----ed up your bull."  Crap happens. 

Oakview,
Live in Iowa  and had happen to us a few years ago.New vet at the clinic .We had to sell that bull for slaughter only per the state vets office.There concern was tithers in his repro tract that could be passed to the female however small the chance.Vet turned into his liability insurance and they covered the difference between the cull price and what the sale manager said he would bring.Might try that route.Mooch

Now you've got me worried.  My vet mentioned titers in the reproductive tract that could be passed on as a possibility.  I hope the RB51 vaccine has lowered the possibilities enough that I don't have to do what you did.  I would hate to think of my best bull calf ending up in the freezer.  I haven't heard from him today, so let's hope that no news is good news.

I'm reviving this thread. I had a customer call me last night, seems he took a group of cattle to the vet to be vaccinated. Said vet accidentally vaccinated his best bull calf (March born, so 9 months) with brucellosis. THEN, he castrated him! Said customer was not there, his father took the cattle in while he was working. The vet is submitting it to his insurance, but the customer wanted to know if I would write a letter stating the value of said bull calf. He was a purebred Simmental, white face, out of some of my top cow lines (AI sired).

My research makes me wonder why the vet castrated the calf. The bull calf was going to be marketed as a breeding bull in the spring, likely in a commercial or registered herd, but not in a stud service. Just looking for facts... thanks!

Sounds like the vet needs to be castrated next.

I have no facts to contribute, but possibly a theory. If the vaccine caused infertility in the bull later, the value would be lost and they probably wouldn't be able to prove it was the vets fault to claim value from his insurance. However, if he "accidentally" castrated the calf, then the infertility would clearly be his fault, and insurance would pay the value.

That would be my best guess as to why the vet might go ahead and castrate the calf.

You have two issues here.  Regulatory and Biological.  I have no idea how the regulatory end will be handled and that may well determine the fate of this bull.  Biologically,  infertility would be the result of orchitis (inflammation of the testicles) and the high testicular temperatures cause sterility.  However, even with the old Stain 19 vaccine,  this effect was rare.  I,  myself,  accidently vaccinated a bull destined for herd sire with the RB-51 vaccine and there was no ill effects on that particular animal.  I know a sample size of "one" is hardly definitive,  but the odds are that this bull will be fine as a breeder.  If anything,  the bull could have been given Penicillin immediately but since the mutant vaccine bacteria clears from the animal within three days,  that option has passed.