Cattle Chat: Product handling and administration
Handlers apply treatments to cattle following the beef quality assurance guidelines by administering products in the calf’s neck. | Download photo
K-State beef cattle veterinarian Bob Larson offers safety advice for minimizing exposure when administering vaccines to animals
At a glance: K-State beef cattle veterinarian Bob Larson offers tips on handling animal health products to maximize efficacy and keep products from negatively impacting the people who administer the medicines.
More information: Bob Larson, 785-532-4257, rlarson@vet.k-state.edu
Related: Beef Cattle Institute Cattle Chat
May 13, 2025
By Lisa Moser, K-State Research and Extension news service
MANHATTAN, Kan. – “Some animal products will cause human health problems if they are absorbed through the skin of the person administering them,” K-State veterinarian Bob Larson said on a recent Cattle Chat podcast.
Cattle Chat is a weekly podcast produced by the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.
Product handling safety and vaccine administration were two of the topics discussed.
“To keep from products being accidentally absorbed by the person handling the pour-on product, it is important to wear a barrier-type glove, like a latex or nitrile glove, when applying these products,” Larson said.
He also suggested that producers check the weather forecast before administering pour-on products.
“Cattle that are out in the rain shortly after the pour-on has been applied will not be protected as well as those that remain dry for several hours after the product application,” Larson said.
With pour-on and injectable products, Larson said, regardless of how the product is administered, the medicine is circulated throughout the bloodstream and will get to all parts of the animal’s body.
“The pour-on product is first absorbed through the skin and then into the bloodstream, where it circulates,” Larson said. “Injectables work the same way, so if I give an injection in the neck, it will be absorbed there and then move throughout the body.”
Larson reminds producers to follow the label instructions when treating cattle.
“If the product is labeled for intramuscular administration, it needs to be put into a thick muscle, and if it is a subcutaneous product, it needs to be placed under the skin,” Larson said. “How it is administered matters because some products have been designed for the amount of blood flow and location.”
By following beef quality assurance guidelines, Larson said producers can confidently give the injectable products in the neck and understand that the product will be circulated throughout the body.
To hear the full discussion, listen to Cattle Chat on your preferred streaming platform.
***
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.