Vaccinating calves and cattle is an important part to any ranching operation- it helps to keep them healthy and safeguard against diseases that could potentially lead to death. While buying the vaccine and actually giving it to the animal is imperative, there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure that the animals really will get their protection.  With spring roundups and workings beginning to take place there are precautions to follow to make sure that you are truly getting the most “bang for your buck” and not wasting away dollars. The way in which the vaccine is handled is imperative to the success rate of it.  Improper handling will decrease the effectiveness of the vaccine, leading to potentially costly losses.  Check the label to determine whether it needs to be kept within a certain temperature range- if it needs to stay cold make sure to have an ice chest and plenty of cool packs; keep a close eye on expiration dates and be aware of shelf life of the vaccine; it is also important to take into consideration how it has been stored throughout the year- if it has been kept in a storage area that becomes extremely hot or cold it may have affected the efficacy of the product; and remember to change out needles while working cattle to not transfer diseases from animal to animal or contaminate the entire bottle of medicine.  These are some easy and effective practices that will help your medicine actually work for you and not end up being futile!