Read what our customers across the country say about First Defense.

Find out what producers and veterinarians in your region have experienced using First Defense products.

California

Francisco Delgado – Scott Brothers Dairy
Chino, CA
“We were a little bit skeptical at first, so we tried it on, like, 50 calves before we went completely on First Defense. It was so convenient that you could use it either before or after colostrum. We barely see any scours since we started using the product. It’s a good product. If you’re skeptical, try it like we did. We got good results.”


Francisco Delgado – Scott Brothers Dairy – Spanish
Chino, CA
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Chris Terra – Red Top Jersey
Chowchilla, CA
“Our pasteurized colos-trum program is highly monitored. We routinely track bacterial count and solids. Our blood total proteins average 6.7 mg/ml. But TRI-SHIELD has an added effect over a quality colostrum program. Fewer calves shedding pathogens at the calf ranch protects not only our calves but all calves at the ranch.”


Brent Wickstrom – Wickstrom Jersey Farm
Hilmar, CA
“TRI-SHIELD is much easier to apply than a dam-level scour vaccine or Calf-Guard®. A one-step process with no waste on DOA’s or cows that don’t give colostrum.”


Jake Deraadt – Eden Vale Dairy
LaMoore, CA
“We milk about 1,000 cows, so you know healthy cows are everything. They’re your future and they’ve got a lot of value. We’ve used other scours products before and then we switched to First Defense. It’s cheap insurance to get that immunity boost into those calve and try to keep them healthy and alive. Calves add a lot of value these days, so it’s very important to get them off to a good start.”


Jake Deraadt – Eden Vale Dairy
LaMoore, CA


Jay Van Der Hoek – Van Der Hoek Dairy
Modesto, CA
“About seven years ago, we were having a serious problem with rotavirus and coronavirus. We were losing a lot of calves. Our veterinarian recommended administering First Defense to newborns. It took care of the problem and I couldn’t be happier. We’ve given First Defense to every heifer calf since.”


Brian Scott – Scott Brothers Dairy
Moreno Valley, CA
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Rich Silacci – Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, CA
“Prior to adding First Defense to our regimen, our calves would always run into problems with salmonella after having scours seven to 10 days after birth. We have been using First Defense at Cal Poly State University’s dairy unit and have seen calves getting through the first two weeks of life stage really successfully. We would recommend First Defense to anyone. This product is simple to administer and produces results.”


Aaron Lazanoff – Cal Poly University
San Luis Obispo, CA
“Results from First Defense have been excellent. We used to have a scour problem in our first-calf heifers where we calve in a little more confinement. Since we’ve been using that product, we’ve had zero scours. It’s been an excellent product for us and we’ve eliminated any problems in our calves.”


Jon Leonardo – Leonardo Brothers Dairy
Selma, CA
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Joe Rocha – Simoes Dairy
Tipton, CA
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Frank Melo – Tony Melo & Sons Dairy
Turlock, CA
“We were having a lot of problems with calf scours and then we heard about First Defense. We tried it, and now we don’t want anything else. It works great. We’ve been using the bolus since 2019. In a word, it’s awesome. You want to have it on your dairy all the time because there’s nothing better.”


Darren Dias – Delta View Farms
Visalia, CA
“We’ve been on First Defense probably about three to four years. It’s worked really well and it’s reliable. One of the things I like about the First Defense is it’s got a blue dye in it to confirm the calf got it, so the first time calves go to the bathroom, you know that your maternity guys are doing the job that they’re supposed to be doing.”

Colorado

Marybelle – Spanish
Eaton, CO
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Connecticut

Sandy Boardman – Carolwood Farm LLC
Canaan, CT
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Florida

Freda Carey – HC Dairy Farm
Lakeland, FL
“Before I used First Defense I was administering several vaccines in unison. In talking with my veterinarian, I learned that those vaccines actually were cancelling one another out. That was more than 10 years ago. I switched to only First Defense and have been using it since.”

Iowa

Vince Collision, DVM – Collison Veterinary Services
Rockwell City, IA
“Tri-Shield is highly effective and easy to deliver, without colostrum interference. I have received lots of positive feedback from my dairy customers who are using it. I also use Tri-Shield on our personal Angus herd and have had great results.”

Idaho

Zach Damrow – Seagull Bay Dairy
American Falls, ID
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Zach Damrow – Seagull Bay Dairy
American Falls, ID
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David Holm – David Holm Dairy
Fruitland, ID
“Mortality has gone way down. Nothing else we’ve used before has been effective against rotavirus.”


Arie Roeloffs – Southfield Dairy
Wendell, ID
“First Defense is like an insurance policy that pays for itself in spades. Say you cut your death loss from, conservatively, 8 to 2 percent. If you have 300 calves a month, that’s 12 more calves a month or 144 calves a year more that you are able to raise. That fuels the growth of the whole dairy.”

Kansas

Dan Kullot, DVM – Syracuse Dairy
Syracuse, KS
“We have been using First Defense for the last 3 to 4 years and are really happy with the product. For us it’s important, it’s a big investment and a huge return. The product is convenient and versatile. Knowing we have protection as soon as the calf hits the ground is satisfying and comforting. This product gives assurance.”

Maine

Vicky Barker
Leeds, ME
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Minnesota

Joe Wagner – Wagner Farms
Brandon, MN
“Tri-Shield is now a critical part of my healthy-calf protocols. This past spring was one of the wettest we’ve had and Tri-Shield played a vital role in keeping our calves healthy.”


Steve Hayes DVM – DAY 1 Technology
Winona, MN
“The thing that I like about First Defense is that you give 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.”

Nebraska

Dan Kullot, DVM – Countryside Vet Clinic
Fullerton, NE
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Lance Kurtz, DVM – Countryside Vet Clinic
Fullerton, NE
“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.”


Joe Strahm, DVM – Pender Vet Clinic
Pender, NE
“I recommend producers implement First Defense in their calf protocols even when using cow scour vaccines. First Defense provides calves with consistent protection by delivering a timely and accurate dose of antibodies they need to avoid scour outbreaks.”

New Mexico

Matt Kunde – P7 Dairy
Roswell, NM
“Our day-one protocols are consistent and calf management top notch, but we were still able to see a significant reduction in treatment costs within those first two-weeks of life with First Defense.”

New York

Kazmeiro (Kazzie) Nero – Oakwood Dairy
Auburn, NY
“Tri-Shield is the most reliable way for us to prevent calf scours and it is the only thing we need to use.”


Scott Partridge – Thorndell Farms
Batavia, NY
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Scott Partridge – Thorndell Farms
Batavia, NY
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Stephanie Luders – Eagleview Dairy LLC
Bliss, NY
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Julia Houser – Brotherhood Farms
Easton, NY
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Connie Soemann – Mc Collum Farms
Gosport, NY
“Over the years we layered in 3 different products, trying to prevent scours, but with Tri-Shield we eliminated all of those, and calf health is better than ever. Not often can we cut costs in half and improve, but Tri-Shield has done that for us.”


Bonnie Bargstedt – Wil Rock Farms
Kinderhook, NY
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Bonnie Bargstedt – Wil Rock Farms
Kinderhook, NY
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Blain Jensen & Elizabeth Russell – Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, NY
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Blain Jensen & Elizabeth Russell – Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, NY
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Heather Whitten – Valley Mound Farms
Scipio center, NY
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Bobbi Wickham – Wickham Farm
Walton, NY
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Ohio

Mark Hardesty, DVM – Maria Stein Animal Clinic
Maria Steion, OH
“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 – R Enterprises
New Carlisle, OH
“We have been using Tri-Shield for two years now and have noticed a tremendous reduction in scours. It’s so easy to administer and performs every time. “

Oregon

Erica Caroll – Carroll Heifer Ranch/Creamline Farms
Milton Freewater, OR
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Pennsylvania

Candice Dotterer – Paul Dotterer & Sons Dairy
Mill Hall, PA
“With input from our herd veterinarian, we revamped our calf-care program by upgrading the vaccination protocol; switching from milk replacer to pasteurized waste milk; hired a calf-care manager and administered First Defense to every heifer calf shortly after birth. We now have just 2 to 3 percent pneumonia incidence and continue to use First Defense on every heifer calf.”

South Dakota

Kevin Souza – Victory Farms
Milbank, SD
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Texas

Danny Cundiff – G2 Producers East Dairy
Dalhart, TX
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Utah

Charley Hansen – 4C Corporation
Duchesne, UT
“We had a legacy of rotavirus here. We couldn’t live without Tri-Shield. It’s good for our calves and our employees. We have used it since it came out and won’t ever stop.”

Wisconsin

Laura Daniels – Heartwood Farms
Cobb, WI
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Katie Grinstead – Vir-Clar Dairy
Fond du Lac, WI
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Jay Hall – Hall’s Calf Ranch
Kewaunee, WI
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Alyssa Fischer – Darian Acres
Rio, WI
“We had lots of issues with our calves before TRI-SHIELD. Lab results confirmed we were dealing with all three pathogens (E. coli, coronavirus, and rotavirus). Since we started TRI-SHIELD the calves have been doing much better. I haven’t lost a calf to scours in the past 9 months.”


Cole Hoyer – Hoyer Farms
West Salem, WI
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