Vaccinations and BVD

Washington Ag February 18, 2009 A Bovine Viral Diarrhea Control and Eradication project of Washington State University is more than a testing program. Dr. John Wenz of WSU’s Field Animal Disease Investigative Unit says the project also aims to improve beef herd health. In the project’s first year in 2008, Wenz learned some interesting things about what participating producers were or weren’t doing regarding BVD vaccinations. Wenz: “I think the most telling thing was in two of our positive herds that had a very high prevalence of positive calves, they were not vaccinating for BVD. Vaccination doesn’t cover everything but it certainly helps in reducing risk.� Wenz says another interesting discovery was that in herds using a killed virus vaccine, there was a high percentage only giving a single dose. Wenz: “So in herds when they are vaccinating their calves with a killed product it is important that you follow the label. And on that label for these killed products it says they need to give one dose and a second dose 21-28 days later. And only giving the one dose you may as well not give it. Because that first dose the immune says, hey look at that. It is not until they get that second dose that says, hey I recognize that, and it produces protective antibodies. So it was interesting to find that there are some folks out there who might think they are protected but the first time they give those vaccines to those calves it is important to get both doses in there to get protection.� WSU’s BVD Control and Eradication project is looking for more herd participation. You can contact Wenz at 509-595-1539. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.