Respiratory vaccines with duration of immunity claims can help keep cattle healthy, longer
Producers work overtime to keep their cattle healthy. When it comes to protecting cattle against respiratory disease, it’s important they choose a vaccine that’s working just as hard.
“Cattle moving through the production chain have ample opportunities to develop bovine respiratory disease (BRD),” says Victor Cortese, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ABVP, director, Veterinary Specialties Group, Pfizer Animal Health. “For example, a calf that goes through a sale barn, into a backgrounding operation and eventually to the feedlot will have multiple encounters with stressors and viruses that can lead to BRD.”
That’s why it’s important producers choose respiratory vaccines that not only help prevent BRD but also have a duration of immunity claim to help protect cattle through each of these phases, Dr. Cortese says. With so many respiratory vaccines available, it can be tough to choose the right one. Veterinarians can help producers evaluate the finer points of each vaccine, including duration of immunity claims.
“Viruses like infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus and bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus Types 1 and 2 can lead to BRD, but most vaccines aren’t labeled for a specific duration of immunity in relation to those viruses,” Dr. Cortese says. “In those cases, producers have no information regarding duration of immunity.”
To help ensure cattle are protected during weaning, when placed into stocker operations or commingled in a feedlot, Dr. Cortese recommends producers talk with their veterinarians about vaccines that can help protect against the major BRD viruses, like Bovi-Shield GOLD® 5. With Bovi-Shield GOLD 5, producers can trust their vaccine is working overtime, helping protect cattle against IBR virus and BVD virus Types 1 and 2 respiratory disease for 279 days, as well as other viruses that can lead to BRD, including bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and parainfluenza type 3 (PI3) virus.*
“With record-high input and operating costs, producers can’t afford to use anything less than a respiratory vaccine with high levels of expected protection,” Dr. Cortese says. “Choosing a vaccine that helps provide the longest-demonstrated duration of immunity and high levels of protection to help prevent BRD during every link in the production chain can help protect cattle and save producers’ valuable time.”
*Prevents IBR respiratory disease and IBR and BVD Types 1 and 2 respiratory DOI claims apply only to SC route of administration. Intramuscular respiratory IBR claim is “aids in prevention.”
