Ahead of breeding, a number of boosters may be required, as vaccinations play an important role on dairy farms.
Booster vaccination for leptospirosis (lepto) and bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) are crucial for many herds.
Vaccination programmes can vary from farm-to-farm, so it is important that you follow what has been developed for you by your vet.
Lepto IBR BVD Salmonella BRSV, Pi-3V, M.haemolvtica Rotavirus, coronavirus, E.Coli Clinical signs Abortion, infertility and weak calves Respiratory, milk drop and infertility Abortion, diarrhoea and respiratory Abortion and diarrhoea Respiratory (calves + young stock) Diarrhoea (calves) Vaccine timing Before breeding Housing Before breeding Mid-pregnancy Housing Before calving
Vaccinations work by stimulating an animal’s immune system without infecting them with the disease.
After this, if the vaccinated animal comes into contact with the disease, its immune system will recognise it (from the vaccine) and immediately produce the antibodies needed to fight it off.
It is important to note that a vaccination programme does not replace good management practices.
It is not, and should not be, the only method of disease control. A vaccination programme should be supported by additional on-farm measures, such as biosecurity and diagnostic testing.
Although the goal when vaccinating an animal is to stop them from getting sick, often that is not possible.
Animals can still become infected with a disease they have been vaccinated for, but it should have a reduced impact on them.
Vaccinations
Vaccinating for lepto is of practical importance, due to it being zoonotic. This means that it is a disease that can be transmitted from humans to animals and vice versa.
To prevent an outbreak of lepto from occurring within a herd a combination of biosecurity measures along with a vaccination programme is required.
Clinical signs in humans start as flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, lepto can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress and even, death.
Generally, this happens after humans come in contact with infected urine, afterbirth or an aborted foetus.
Often the first potential sign of a lepto infection within the herd is a drop in milk yield.
This can often be missed and put down to a number of other potential issues, such as changes in feed, lungworm, BVD or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR).
Reduced levels of fertility within the herd is also a common symptom seen in an infected herd.
In herds where there has been an increase in the number of abortions and other clinical symptoms, it is important that a screening is completed.
It is also important that any abortions are sent to the lab for testing to determine the cause.