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General Session II

Environmental and Management Factors Influencing BVDV Antibody Levels and Response to Vaccination in Calves

by Carrie Stadheim for Angus Productions Inc.


BOZEMAN, Mont. (June 2, 2011) — Calfhood disease costs the cattle industry an estimated $750 million annually, said Erika Downey, a graduate student in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University, Ames. Maternal antibodies obtained through colostrum protect the calf immediately following birth, but as those antibodies diminish, timing is critical as producers make decisions about how and when to immunize calves.


Erika Downey
Erika Downey

Downey presented findings of her research June 2 during the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Research Symposium, hosted on campus at Montana State University (MSU), Bozeman. Downey’s research indicated several variables that influence the effectiveness of calfhood vaccinations, including season and year; presence of maternal antibodies, which is affected by age of dam; and stress. Her research considered these factors in estimating the optimum age at which to vaccinate calves for maximum effectiveness.


“The age in which the calves are most likely to exhibit a positive response to the vaccine is highly variable,” Downey said. According to her research, producers could actually dampen the effect of an immunization by administering vaccinations too early. When the antibodies from colostrum are still potent, it may be too early to vaccinate.


The amount of time a producer needs to wait will vary from calf to calf.


“Younger cows have been shown to pass fewer antibodies to their calves than older cows,” Downey said. “Once a cow reaches 5 years of age, we saw no significant difference in transfer of antibodies as the cow age increased further.” But, between the ages of 2 and 5 years of age, there was a correlation between cow age and increased transfer of antibodies. For example, a 3-year-old cow passed along twice as many antibodies to her calf as a 2-year-old cow.


Downey said an antibody count of 16 or less was the ideal time to administer calfhood vaccines. The antibodies present in calves from younger cows will reach this level much more quickly than calves from older dams. Not only do they start with fewer antibodies, but their antibody levels drop much more quickly as well.


“Antibodies from calves out of older cows decline at a slower rate, so calves are ready for vaccinations at an older age if they are from an older dam,” she said.


Downey’s research didn’t stop with baby calves. She studied the effect of stress factors such as weaning, on the effectiveness of vaccinations. She also measured the number of antibodies present in two groups of weaned calves. One group was given vaccinations at weaning, then a booster three weeks later. The second group received vaccinations prior to weaning, and a booster on weaning day. She determined that weaned calves exhibited a better response to immunizations when they received their first shot at weaning and a booster after weaning as opposed to administration of a preweaning shot followed by a booster in conjunction with weaning. This conclusion was reached based on the number of antibodies present in the calves.


A few of Downey’s key conclusions were as follows:

  • With the first round of immunizations, older calves responded better to vaccine.
  • The dam’s age influences the amount of antibodies transferred; 5- to 9-year-old dams passed the greatest amount of antibodies to their calves.
  • Weaning calves at the same time as the initial vaccination, then providing a booster (rather than administering preweaning shots and then combining weaning with the booster vaccination) elicits greater response to vaccination and results a higher average daily gain.

To listen to this presentation and to view the proceedings paper and the PowerPoint that accompanied it, visit the Newsroom at www.BIFconference.com.


BIF’s 43rd Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting was hosted June 1-4 on campus at Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.



Editor’s Note: This summary was written under contract or by staff of Angus Productions Inc. (API). Through an agreement with the Beef Improvement Federation, we are encouraging reprinting of the articles to those who will adhere to the reprint guidelines available on this site. Please review those guidelines or contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at 816-383-5270. PowerPoints are posted with permission of the presenter and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the presenter.

API's coverage of the event is made possible through collaboration with BIF and sponsorship by BioZyme Inc. through its significant gift to the Angus Foundation. For questions about this site, or to notify us of broken links, click here.

Headquartered in Saint Joseph, Mo., API publishes the Angus Journal, the Angus Beef Bulletin, the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, and the Angus e-List, as well as providing online coverage of events and topics pertinent to cattlemen through the API Virtual Library.

 

 

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