Are Your Vaccines and
Health Products Working?
Everyday practices can undermine your animal health efforts.
The failure of animal health products and vaccines often are the result of human error and not the result of a defective product.
Have you ever ...
• stored product in an old refrigerator out in the shed;
• bought the product at the store, thrown the bag in the truck, made a few stops and then put the product in the refrigerator when you got home;
• vaccinated cattle into the middle of the day, leaving the vaccine exposed to sunlight and warm temperatures;
• bought too much product, only used half a bottle, and saved the leftover for the next time; or
• used expired product?
All of these practices could result in reducing the effectiveness of vaccine products. Most farmers have been guilty of doing at least one of the previously listed no-nos at some point in time. In order for the health products to be successful, proper handling and storage is critical.
Other than a veterinarian, labels are the best source of information regarding indications for use, dose and dosage interval, route of administration, residue withdrawal times, and storage. Correct storage maintains a product's ability to perform, and most vaccines require refrigeration. In contrast, many antibiotics do not require refrigeration, and, if refrigerated, the antibiotic can become unusable in a syringe and more painful to the animal.
A project by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in 2008 studied 191 refrigerators used by producers, retail stores and veterinary clinics. Data loggers were used to record temperatures at 10-minute intervals over 48 hours. Of 191 refrigerators tested, 76% were unacceptable for storing animal health products because temperature was not consistently maintained between 35° F and 45° F. Refrigerator type and age were not critical factors in performance; however, refrigerator location did matter. Refrigerators in barns were colder than recommended temperatures, whereas those located in temperature-controlled environments performed better.
Refrigerator performance depends on maintenance. Things such as dusty coils, clogged drain tubes, frost buildup and poor gasket condition can cause refrigerators to work improperly. A full refrigerator performs more consistently than an empty one; however, air movement around items is necessary for even chilling, so do not overfill the refrigerator.
How does your refrigerator perform? In order to check, place a thermometer in the refrigerator and keep a log of randomly recorded temperatures. If the temperatures are outside the range of 35°-45° F, the product can become ineffective. Storing vaccines at less than 35° F is more detrimental than storing them at temperatures above 45° F.
All products have an expiration date. This expiration date is not a suggested date, but a date to which the manufacturer has proven efficacy, when stored correctly. Once a vaccine has been opened, it must be used, usually within 10-12 hours. Therefore, use the product you have on hand and carefully calculate doses needed before ordering.
In order for vaccines and health products to be effective, the first step is following label guidelines for storage and handling. Additional information on health products storage, handling and administration can be found here or contact Stuttgen.
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted with permission from the University of Wisconsin Extension's Wisconsin Beef Information Center, available online at http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic/.
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