Vaccination reduces the risk of pneumonia, controls severe herd outbreaks and reduces economic losses. Typically pneumonia causes lasting damage to the calf which impacts on long term growth rates.
Severe pneumonia calves either die or they have impaired growth rates and future productivity. Most progressive farmers control pneumonia through improving housing and adopting a carefully constructed vaccination program as advised by us.
What vaccines are there?
Viruses ( RSV/PI3) are the common initial invaders and this then triggers a secondary bacterial infection ( Mycoplasma, Mannhaemia, Pasturella, Histophilus). The main vaccines available have been viral vaccines ( Rispoval range) or Combination vaccines ( Bovipast – RSV/PI3 and Mannhaemia)
We now have an additional vaccine- a specialist combination Bacteral vaccination called Hiprabovis Somni LKt which can be used as additional protection alongside the viral vaccines
Another Combination bacterial and viral vaccine called Bovalto has been released in 2016.
New vaccines for control of Pneumonia
Hiprabovis Somni/LKt
A sophisticated new vaccine which provides robust protection against the key bacteria of Mannheimia/ Pasturella/ Histophilus. Provides protection for up to 40 weeks but most importantly it has protection against the toxins the bacteria produce reducing lung damage. Key observations have been typically 50% reduction of antibiotic treatments compared with using viral vaccine alone. 2 doses 2ml s/c 3 weeks apart with protection starting to develop after first injection. We have used this last year on one of our calf rearer/ cattle fatteners with good results.
A new combination vaccination that provides option to cover against BVD, RSV, PI3 and Mannhaemia. Bovalto RESPI 3 contains clinically relevant strains of key BRD pathogens PI-3, RSV and Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A1. Bovalto RESPI 4 contains a unique combination of these three pathogens along with BVDV.
Which Vaccine should I use?
The choice of vaccine will be based on your farming system, the diseases you experience on your farm, your purchasing strategy and environmental challenges.
Common vaccination regimes
|
Vaccine |
Suitable for |
Comments |
|
Rispoval Intranasal Alone (RSV/PI3) |
BVD free herds, dairy and beef , good husbandry/ housing, used in combination with Hiprabovis Somni LKt to deliver gold standard protection |
From 9 days of age, rapid protection, live vaccine, lasts about 3 months, all animals need to be vaccinated in the group, use separate nasal applicator for each calf to prevent disease spread. |
|
Multivalent Viral (Rispoval3/4) RSV/PI3/(IBR*)/BVD *Rispoval 3 does not include IBR and can be used in herds wishing to use marker IBR vaccines/ achieve accredited status |
Herds requiring broader protection, active BVD present, herds wishing to provide an element of IBR protection using a non marker IBR vaccine. 2 doses 4 weeks apart |
No bacterial protection, IBR is non marker so not suitable for pedigree herds in accreditation, provides BVD protection but less relevant as more herds become BVD free. May need additional bacterial protection for optimal results in high risk herds |
|
Combination Viral+ Bacterial ( Bovipast/ Bovalto) RSV/ PI3/ Mannheimia +BVD* Bovalto 4 |
Dairy/ Beef/ Calf rearers wishing to control major viruses and bacteria using inactivated vaccines 2 doses 3-4 weeks apart from 3 weeks of age |
Bovipast established vaccine, useful in BVD free herds, popular with calf rearers Bovalto new vaccine this year, similar spectrum of Rispoval 3/4 with additional bacterial protection. |
|
Bacteria Vaccines Alone Hiprabovis Somni LKt |
Any herd with bacterial complications with Histophilus/ Mannheimia and poor response to viral vaccines alone . 40 week protection major feature, 50% less antibiotic usage if used alongside viral vaccines. Often used in higher risk pneumonia situations ( calf rearers/ fatteners) where longer levels or protection are required |
Sophisticated novel vaccine providing real benefits when used alongside viral vaccine such as Bovalto/ Rispoval intranasal/ Rispoval 4. Improved pneumonia control indicates bacterial involvement |
|
IBR vaccines – Hiprabovis IBR/ Bovilis IBR |
Marker vaccines used as part of a structured IBR control program in herd. 2 doses 3-4 weeks apart and 6 monthly boosters |
IBR vaccination is increasingly separate from calf hood pneumonia vaccination and given when calves are between 3-12 months of age |
Getting the most out of vaccination
- Vaccine selection: A vaccine protocol should be developed with us and and take into account the specific features and risks on your farm along with history of disease and diagnostic test results.
- Calf health status: Resilience to disease and vaccine efficacy will be increased if animals are healthy and receiving good nutrition. Cold stress can have a major impact in young calves. Sick animals should not be vaccinated.
- Plan ahead: Wherever possible, ensure that calves are fully vaccinated ahead of periods of high BRD risk.
- Storage and handling: Ensure vaccines are stored and handled according to the instructions on the datasheet and that refrigerators are operating at the correct temperature.
- Timing: Follow the protocol given in the product datasheet, ensuring the interval between vaccines in the primary course and any subsequent boosters is observed.
- Accurate dosing: Use an appropriate injector and calibrate equipment before use to check that the correct dose is being delivered to each animal; underdosing will affect the efficacy of vaccines.
- Correct administration: Ensure the correct route of administration is used (intramuscular or subcutaneous) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Housing and management: Assessing and addressing issues such as poor ventilation and air quality, excessive moisture and humidity, overcrowding, and mixing of ages/groups is key to pneumonia control, and will allow vaccines to work more effectively.
Please discuss your young stock vaccination protocols with us.
No farm is the same, no vaccination program is the same.
Good vaccine + wrong choice = poor result!