New vaccines available for cattle diseases
Both Elanco and Merck Animal Health recently announced the release of their new vaccines to the cattle market, which will help producers fight two of the most common and dangerous illnesses in cattle – anaplasmosis and pneumonia.
A study conducted by Elanco found Baytril 100-CA1 can reduce the mortality rate of anaplasmosis, while Merck Animal Health’s new Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH can protect cattle from pneumonia.
Combating anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis, a vector-borne, infectious disease of red blood cells, is usually spread by ticks and causes severe anemia. The disease can be highly devastating to cows older than two years of age.
Elanco’s Dr. Douglas Shane notes symptoms of anaplasmosis may include weakness, labored breathing, fever, abortion in pregnant cows and in severe cases, death. He also notes cattle with severe anaplasmosis become oxygen deprived, making them extremely aggressive.
Since the disease is so difficult to diagnose, Shane notes it is estimated cattle producers lose around 47 percent of cattle affected by clinical anaplasmosis, totaling $19 billion in annual losses worldwide and $300 million in annual losses in the U.S.
Therefore, Elanco set out to study the effectiveness of their new Baytril 100-CA1 vaccine and found 5.7 milliliters per 100 pounds of body weight of Baytril 100-CA1, administered subcutaneously, can reduce mortality rate to three percent.
“Baytril 100-CA1 is an antimicrobial containing the proven molecule enrofloxacin,” says Shane. “Recently, Baytril 100-CA1 received conditional approval for the treatment of clinical anaplasmosis from the FDA.”
Shane notes the new vaccine was approved for use in replacement dairy heifers under 20 months of age and for beef bulls of any age that are intended for breeding.
“This work allowed us to study anaplasmosis and therapeutic intervention with enrofloxacin in mature cattle in a scale not previously reported in literature,” Shane says. “Understanding the disease and therapeutic intervention in mature cattle is of utmost importance because cattle greater than two years of age are the most likely to suffer from clinical anaplasmosis and die as a result.”
While Baytril 100-CA1 is currently available on the market, Shane says the vaccine is only available to producers through the order of a licensed veterinarian.
Battling pneumonia
Like anaplasmosis, pneumonia can be a deadly and hard to diagnose.
However, Merck Animal Health’s newly released product Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH, can help producers battle five of the most common pneumonia-causing viral and bacterial pathogens.
“Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH is a modified-live, intranasal vaccine, which stimulates an early immune response to help give calves a strong foundation of respiratory disease protection,” explains Dr. Scott Nordstrom, director of livestock innovation and discovery at Merck Animal Health. “Results of efficacy, duration of immunity and safety studies demonstrate the vaccine is safe and effective for calves at one week of age or older.”
Nordstrom notes the vaccine protects against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), parainfluenza 3 (PI3), Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida and is approved for use in dairy and beef cattle.
“The vaccine is administered in a single two-milliliter dose and contains a unique BluShadow diluent to clearly indicate which animals have been vaccinated,” Nordstom says. “With needle-free intranasal administration, the vaccine meets best management practices outlined in the Beef Quality Assurance Program.”
This first-ever intranasal BRD vaccine against viral and bacterial pneumonia is now available for purchase for both producers and veterinarians alike.
Hannah Bugas is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
