“To maximize lifetime milk production, it’s important for cows to have a calf every twelve-and-a-half to thirteen-and-a-half months,” said Mark van der List, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “Cows will peak in milk about 60 days after calving. If we’re not getting animals pregnant on schedule, our average herd milk production will decline.”
Implementing a pre-breeding vaccination program can enhance a cow’s ability to become pregnant on time, and carry a healthy calf to term.
“It’s an opportunity to improve the health of cows and their future calves,” remarked Dr. van der List. When looking at pre-breeding vaccines, he recommends that the following diseases be top of mind:
- Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) – a commonly diagnosed viral cause of abortion in cattle.
- Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) – known to suppress immunity as well as cause early embryonic death, abortion and persistently infected calves.
- Leptospirosis (lepto) – a bacterial infection linked to infertility, abortions, weak calves and reduced milk production.
Visible symptoms are not always obvious, yet these diseases remain a large threat to herd health, and are responsible for up to 50% of pregnancy losses in dairy cattle.4
Pre-breeding vaccination plays an important role in preventing persistently infected (PI) calves. PI calves are born from cows exposed to BVDV at 30 to 120 days of gestation. An infected cow will transmit the virus to the fetus, and the calf is born persistently infected with BVDV.
“A PI calf is dangerous, because it remains infected its whole life and often shows no signs of the disease, while still shedding the virus and exposing the rest of the herd to infection,” said Dr. van der List.
Reproductive vaccination protocols
“Prior to their first breeding, I recommend giving heifers at least two doses of a modified-live virus [MLV] vaccine that provides coverage for BVDV, IBR and leptospirosis,” advised Dr. van der List. “Immunity from lepto is not as long-lasting, so we also want to consider boosting animals with another vaccine that includes lepto coverage during pregnancy. Then, after calving, we want to start this vaccine cycle again, and give another MLV vaccine before breeding so we can prevent PI calves as well as maximize protection against BVDV, IBR and lepto.”
If an MLV vaccine is given to a pregnant animal that has not been previously vaccinated with an MLV prior to breeding, the cow could abort.
“To ensure animal safety, make sure you’re working with a veterinarian to implement a program in which vaccines are given at the appropriate times,” Dr. van der List stressed.
Pre-breeding vaccines are just one part of a successful reproductive health program.
“There are many other important aspects of reproductive health such as proper nutrition, a well-managed transition period, heat detection and synchronization programs, cow comfort and meticulous record-keeping,” concluded Dr. van der List.
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Taking a close look at pre-breeding vaccinations - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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