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CAL F PNEUMONI A
AUTUMN 2014 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
14
Calves affected
Significant reduction in pneumonia cases thanks to autogenous vaccine
Calf deaths
Antibiotic usage
11/12
All
14
All calves
12/13
All
13
All calves
13/14
6
2
6 calves
Year
given an intranasal vaccine which covers
against RSV and PI3 only. They will be given
the HP and multi-valent vaccines once they
are 10-weeks old.
The introduction of the custom-made HP
vaccine into the vaccination programme
has, in Willie’s words, been a ‘phenomenal
success.’
As the table shows, there has been a
significant drop in the use of antibiotics.
Willie says: ‘I can just go to the sheds and
have a quick look around them. It’s been a
pleasure! I only had to treat six calves last
winter - before that, it was blanket treatment.
‘And I’m seeing significantly better liveweight
gains too.’
Colin advises: ‘Where, calves are continually
coughing and/or developing full blown
pneumonia, then instead of just treating all
the time with antibiotics, it pays to get some
veterinary input. Changes may be needed
to the vaccine protocol, or alterations made
to housing and management. Bacterial
infections from Histophilus and Pasteurella
account for 17% of the isolates sent into the
AHVLA. But there are currently no commercial
vaccines available to protect against these,
so it is worthwhile to have a vaccine
custom-made for the herd.’
The viral and bacterial
causes of respiratory
disease
In 2012, of the samples investigated for respiratory
disease by AHVLA, only 38% of cases were preventable
with commercially available vaccines since they were caused
by RSV, PI3, IBR, Mannheimia. However a further 24% of
cases would be prevented by creating autogenous vaccines
where the cause(s) is identified as Histophilus somni,
Mycoplasma bovis or Pasteurella multocida.
Lung samples were sent to the SAC for analysis.
The results revealed that the calves were actually
suffering from a chronic ‘grumbling’ bacterial
pneumonia caused by Histophilus somni -
sometimes referred to as ‘silent pneumonia’. In
addition there was also a strain of Pasteurella
present - Pasteurella multocida - that was not
covered by any commercial vaccine.
‘This meant it was necessary to tailor-make a
vaccine specifically for use on Willie’s farm,’
explains Colin. ‘The laboratory was able to
isolate the specific bacteria, freeze them and
send specimens onto a vaccine manufacturer
so that an ‘autogenous’ vaccine could be
created that would give cover against both
Histophilus somni and Pasteurella multocida.
The lab was also instructed to retain the
frozen isolates so that Willie would always
have a stock of bacteria to draw upon
if/when further vaccine needed making.’
The autogenous ‘HP’ vaccine was first used in
winter 2013/14, together with the off-the-shelf
multi-valent vaccine which covered RSV, PI3, IBR
and BVD. Both required a course of two doses.
Colin explains: ‘The plan was to administer
the first dose of each to all calves over 10
weeks of age at housing, and then give the
booster doses 3-4 weeks later. However the
autumn-born calves were coughing and one
died before the boosters could be given.
A post mortem examination showed it was
already affected with the Histophilus
bacterium. So the decision was made to
accelerate the vaccine protocol and give
the second dose after just a 10-day interval.
After a week, the coughing had stopped.
On 1st December, any calves (now all
housed) which are at least four weeks of age
but have not received the two vaccines, are
Figure 1