Why is First Defense the scours prevention everyone wants?

A combination of rain and snow for several weeks resulted in challenging calving weather and our calves being born in wet and muddy conditions. We were amazed at how well First Defense worked even with the poor weather conditions. We didn’t have to treat any of our First Defense calves for scours and we experienced a reduction in pneumonia rates as well.

Tri-Shield is highly effective and easy to deliver, without colostrum interference. I have received lots of positive feedback from my customers using it. I also use Tri-Shield on our personal Angus herd and have had great results.

Kirk Lynch

Heartland Simmentals

Waverly, IA

The boluses have almost eliminated scours – 100 percent belief in it.

Kelly Short

Monti West Black Cattle

Masonville, IA

A dry-lot situation without much grass. The results have been phenomenal.

Leslie Ruby

MWI Distribution

IA

A very low investment for the return.

Roman Schooley

Schooley Cattle Company

Bloomfield, IA

Really happy with it and how easy it is to administer to calves.

Patrick Wall

PAW Livestock, LLC

Pleasantville, IA

Rain or shine, cold or warm, it doesn’t matter when that calf gets up and nurses. It’s really helped cut some expense treating calves.

We usually have scours issues in calves from the last 25% of cows that calve, likely due to increased pathogens. We used First Defense on those 25% of calves this year and not a single calf scoured. First Defense is something we’ll definitely use next year and likely on a higher percentage of our herd.

Cody Lowderman

Lowderman Cattle Company

Macomb, IL

Sensible protection against a genetic investment. A product that works. Strongly recommended. Went from treating roughly 15 to 20 percent of newborn calves for scours or E. coli to virtually zero percent.

Jae Van Horn

Lowderman Cattle Company

Macomb, IL

Easy to administer to calves and virtually eliminates scours altogether.

Ron Severson

White Willow Pollard Herefords

Morris, IL

A real cure for a lot of problems. Scours down about 90 percent. Easy to use.

Joel Judge

Tri-Star Cattle

KS

Administered in concentrated calving area and a lot of bad weather – treated less than half a percent of calves for any kind of scours or pneumonia. Really made a difference. Sold on First Defense.

The thing that I like about First Defense is that you give it to the calf as soon as it’s born. There are some products on the market today that you have to give to the calf at birth and the recommendation is to wait 30 minutes or longer before you can feed colostrum. It’s so hard to tell a dairyman or a calf raiser to delay feeding colostrum when that’s the most important thing to give the calf.

Brian Marshall

Marshall & Fenner Farms

Malta Bend, MO

After implementing First Defense, went from treating 90 percent to almost no problems with scours.

We began using First Defense during the 2013 calving season when we were treating what seemed like half of our calves for scours. Since using First Defense, we have treated only four calves for scours out of our 600 head herd. First Defense really works!

Jerry Lee

Lee Simmental Farms

Columbia, MO

Using First Defense for four or five years – can really see the results in calves.

Kristy Lodge

Arthur, NE

Extremely happy with First Defense for the ROI and safety – remarkable.

The First Defense product is a hyper-immunized colostrum. The antibodies are condensed down into a bolus. Once it gets into the gut, those antibodies are absorbed and help protect the calf. Calving areas can get used over and over. That second half of that calving season, there is probably a lot antigens built up – First Defense is great for providing some added protection.

I recommend producers implement First Defense in their calf protocols even when using cow scours vaccines. First Defense provides calves with consistent protection by delivering a timely and accurate dose of antibodies they need to avoid scours outbreaks.

Jeff Meredith

BM Angus

York, NE

Recommended. It’s been really good.

We had a blizzard right in the middle of calving this year and I never lost a calf. Many of my neighbors lost every calf during the storm. ImmuCell seems to give them the ability to survive in harsh conditions. I’ve tried just about every product out there for newborns and I would rate this #1, hands down.

Diagnostics have shown rotavirus has been the cause of calf deaths in many herds, even well managed dairies that are very clean. Tri-Shield is our new tool of choice to prevent rotavirus scours.

Sasha Rittenhouse

New Carlisle, OH

Tri-Shield has made a huge difference in scours. Every calf gets it because it is worth it. Super easy to administer. Horrible weather the past two years created huge death loss on nearby farms, but not on the Rittenhouse operation.

Beverly Roe

Pedro’s Angus

Butler County, OH

Have not had any scours since they started using Tri-Shield – very satisfied with it.

Joe Sanders

Hutson Angus

Elk City, OK

Essentially able to stop doctoring for scours – really enjoying the product.

Dave McElhaney

McElhaney Family Farm

Hookstown, PA

Using First Defense Boluses for more than a decade. Very happy with the results.

Wes Ashe

Ashewood Farm

Selmer, TN

Tried it. Didn’t have any death loss. Now it’s the go-to product.

Brad Bader

Carrousel Farms

Monroe, WI

Using it for at least the last 12 years. It has totally eliminated scours problems.

Approximately 10 years ago we had a minor flair-up of scours in our herd. Treating the calves was costly and time-consuming and it set the calves back in terms of performance. The following year we administered First Defense to every newborn. Scours became basically non-existent. Now each calf receives First Defense within their first few hours of life.

We run about 100 Angus cows. We’ve been using First Defense for over 10 years now. Feel it’s a great product. We feel by using this product we have eliminated our scours problem, and feel really good in the product.

We were happy to talk with some of the First Defense people today because we’re really proud of that product, too. We use it on our calves. It seems to have eliminated scours issues we had. It’s a situation where we just feel a lot more safe and guarded when we’re using this product. It just gives you a little bit more security in your calving situations and gives you a safe environment.

Our calves don’t resist us with the Tri-Shield gel tube. It’s easy to administer. We haven’t treated a calf for scours in three years. People will pay for all kinds of stuff including vet bills, but they hesitate to buy Tri-Shield. But it’s very much worth the peace of mind we get when the calves are protected. I will not be without Tri-Shield. I swear by it.

Anthony Martin

Cow/calf operator and feed business owner

Vermillion, Alberta, Canada

We’ve been using Tri-Shield for two full seasons. We’re finding that our calves are healthier right from the get-go. I believe my conception rates for first-calf heifers is better than ever, and I think Tri-Shield is part of the reason. For me it’s a good investment. It helps my whole program. It’s worth it.