First Defense Calf Health Dual Protection Bolus/Gel
Last reviewed: February 2026
Compare Dual Protection Bolus/Gel pricing, features, and alternatives. Learn how First Defense Calf Health's Calf Health solution stacks up for dairy...
Key Features
- Dual Pathogen Protection: Delivers guaranteed antibody levels against K99+ E. coli and bovine coronavirus, two of the most common scours-causing pathogens in newborn calves.
- Two Delivery Formats: Choose between the First Defense Bolus (solid tablet with balling gun) in 5 or 30 dose packages, or the Dual-Force single-dose gel tube for flexible administration.
- Immediate Passive Immunity: Preformed antibodies provide protection immediately upon administration. No waiting for the calf's immune system to generate a response.
- Blue Dye Confirmation (Gel): The Dual-Force gel tube contains a non-digestible blue dye that turns the calf's first stool neon blue-green, providing visual confirmation of proper dosing.
- USDA Approved Biologic: Approved by the USDA Veterinary Center for Biologics under the same rigorous standards used for scours vaccines.
- OMRI Listed for Organic: Certified for use in organic dairy and beef operations through OMRI listing.
Advanced Features
- Shelf-Stable Storage (Bolus): The First Defense Bolus does not require refrigeration, simplifying on-farm storage and handling compared to cold-chain vaccines.
- Consistent Calf-to-Calf Protection: Every dose is potency-tested before release, eliminating the 20-30% failure rate common with vaccine-dependent immunity where some animals do not mount a protective immune response.
- Compatible with Colostrum Programs: Designed to be administered alongside maternal colostrum feeding, complementing rather than replacing existing colostrum management practices.
Ideal For
Farm Types: Dairy farms, Beef cow-calf operations, Calf ranches, Organic dairy operations
Pricing Information
Here is the pricing information for Dual Protection Bolus/Gel:
Contact your First Defense representative or authorized veterinary distributor for current pricing. Available in 5-dose and 30-dose bolus packages or single-dose Dual-Force gel tubes.
Pricing Model: Per-dose pricing through veterinary distributors
First Defense products are sold through authorized veterinary distributors and representatives. Pricing varies by distributor and volume. The 30-dose bolus package offers better per-dose economics than the 5-dose package.
Pros & Considerations
- Immediate protection without vaccine response variability
- USDA-approved veterinary biologic with potency-tested doses
- Two format options for different administration preferences
- Shelf-stable bolus requires no refrigeration
- OMRI listed for organic operations
- Blue dye marker provides dosing confirmation
- Protects against E. coli and coronavirus only, not rotavirus (see Tri-Shield for triple protection)
- Gel tube requires refrigeration
- Must be administered within first 24 hours of life for optimal results