Preventive Herd Health and
Vaccination
Cow/Calf Production Unit
Goals of the Discussion
• Discuss vaccine label claims, what they mean and
its importance.
• Provide discussion of rational for choosing and
recommending a particular vaccine and how this
relates to the producer and practitioner.
• Describe vaccination timing in the beef herd as it
relates to control of pathogens that affect
reproduction and respiratory disease.
• Discuss types of vaccines commonly used with
the cow calf production unit.
Vaccine Label Claims
• Vaccine licensing and labeling claims are
regulated by USDA. A specific branch of APHIS
called the Center for Veterinary Biologicals
(CVB).
Specific claims
1) Prevents Infection!
 Highest level of label indication.
 Products able to prevent all coloniztion or
replication of the challenge organism in
vaccinated and challenged animals.
2) Prevents disease.
 Products shown to be highly effective in
preventing clinical disease in vaccinated and
challenged animals.
 Vaccine efficacy must be at least 80%.
3) Aid in disease prevention
 This claim is made for products shown to prevent
disease in vaccinated and challenged animals by
a clinically significant amount which is less than
80% to a specific microorganism.
4) Aid in disease control
 Products that are shown to alleviate disease
severity, reduce disease duration or delay onset.
Examples: Spirovac
Spirovac is for vaccination of
healthy cattle 4 weeks of age
or older, including those
pregnant and/or lactating, for
the prevention of infection by
Leptospira borgpetersenii
serovar hardjo, including
reproductive and renal tract
colonization, and urinary
shedding for up to 12 months.
Vaccination with Spirovac also
aids in the prevention of fetal
infection. Spirovac contains a
chemically inactivated whole
culture of L. borgpetersenii
serovar (Type hardjo-bovis).
IMRAB 3
• INDICATIONS: IMRAB® 3
is recommended for the
vaccination of healthy
cats, dogs, sheep,
cattle, horses, and
ferrets 12 weeks of age
and older for
prevention of disease
due to rabies virus.
Bovishield Gold 5
• Bovi-Shield GOLD 5 is for
vaccination of healthy
cattle as an aid in
preventing infectious
bovine rhinotracheitis
caused by infectious bovine
rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus,
bovine viral diarrhea
caused by bovine viral
diarrhea (BVD) virus Types
1 and 2, and disease caused
by parainfluenza3 (PI3) virus
and bovine respiratory
syncytial virus (BRSV).
Vista Once SQ
• For the vaccination of healthy
non-pregnant cattle, 3 months
of age or older, as an aid in the
prevention of respiratory
disease caused by infectious
bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR)
virus; bovine virus diarrhea
(BVD) virus (Type 2); and
bovine respiratory syncytial
virus (BRSV) and as an aid in
the control of disease caused
by bovine virus diarrhea (BVD)
virus (Type 1), parainfluenza-3
virus (PI-3), Mannheimia
haemolytica and Pasteurella
multocida
Pyramid 5 w/ Presponse SQ
• For vaccination of healthy
dairy or beef cattle as an
aid in the prevention of
disease caused by bovine
rhinotracheitis virus,
bovine virus diarrhea
(Types I and II), bovine
parainfluenza-3, bovine
respiratory syncytial virus
and Mannheimia
haemolytica (formerly
Pasteurella haemolytica).
Vaccination in the Beef Herd
• Vaccination events are related to control and
prevention of:
– Reproductive disease.
– Bovine respiratory disease complex.
• Other vaccine use includes:
– Reduce incidence of viral and bacterial neonatal
diarrhea.
– Prevention of Clostridial disease.
– Control of pinkeye.
– Mycoplasm, warts, hoof rot…
Reasons to Vaccinate the breeding
cow herd
• Control disease in herds traditionally of
multiple origin.
• Minimize reproductive loss in the face of a
biosecurity lapse.
• As an aid to control specific pathogens that
are endemic with in the herd.
• Add value to marketed breeding animals.
• Allow for improved ease of interstate
marketing and transport.
Reproductive Vaccinations
• Most common pathogens for vaccination
consideration:
– Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus
– Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
– Leptospirosis
– Campylobacter
– Trichomonas
– Brucella abortus
Types of Vaccines
• Killed and modified live viral vaccines.
– Read and understand label as it relates to vaccination
of pregnant cows.
– Bias: use modified live vaccines for prevention of IBR
and BVD.
• Killed Bacterins.
• Numerous adjuvents.
– May have an affect on specific immune response as it
relates to duration.
– Each associated to varying degrees with vaccine
reactions both local and systemic.
Reason to Vaccinate for Respiratory
Disease:
• Control incidence of disease within a herd.
• Minimize economic loss to respiratory disease.
• Provide a reputation for the producer to
market their cattle.
• Add Value.
Respiratory Vaccination
• Control directed at both Viral and Bacterial
pathogens.
• Viral agents:
– IBR: Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
– BVDV: Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus
– BRSV: Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus
– PI₃: Parainfluenza-3 Virus
Respiratory Vaccination
• Bacterial agents:
– Mannheimia haemolytica
– Pasteurella multocida
– Histophilus somni
– Mycoplasm spp.
How do we choose a product?
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Science?
Label Claim?
Price?
Propaganda?
Tradition?
Product support?
Sales person?
Case:
• You are presented with
a new client that has a
commercial cow herd
with 200 head.
• Of upmost importance
to the producer is to
develop a herd health
program as it relates to
vaccination and parasite
control of both cows
and calves.
Design of program:
• What pathogens are you concerned about for
prevention of reproductive loss and respiratory
disease?
• What types of products might you recommend?
• Based on Dr. Ondrak’s discussion are there times
with which we can intervene with vaccinations?
• Think of things that affect immune response and
how can we address this?
• With the help of the facilitator come up with a
strategy.