Bovii-Shield Gold FP MLV Question

[inyati13]

I use the subject vaccine. I was at SS yesterday to shop for a killed virus FP vaccine for a couple of cows that are pregnant and have missed being exposed to MLV. The vast majority of my herd has been on the subject vaccine for going on 2 years.

The SS salesman who seemed knowledgeable (animal scientist) said the MLV is not worth the risk considering that on-going and recent studies are showing there is not that much more of an immune response with the MLV. In fact, he said some studies indicate the killed virus gives a better response. NOTE: I have seen those too but they are performed by companies who do not produce a MLV vaccine. So be cautious! We know that even science has its biases.

Can anyone confirm that? Lucky, I know you keep up on this and so does Milkmaid.

 

[Lucky_P]

Ron,
I wouldn't be taking animal health advice from any of the folks working at our SS store.

It's pretty well documented that you get better immune response, and longer duration of protection from properly administered mlv vaccines than you will with an inactivated product. Haven't looked recently, but I'm not sure that any of the killed products make a 'fetal protection' label claim - and that, I presume, is your principal reason for vaccinating your cow herd.
Killed products I've seen only have an 'aids in prevention' label claim - and one study I saw where they vaccinated heifers with a killed product, then exposed them to BVD virus - all(14/14) the control fetuses were infected, but only 4 of 14 fetuses from vaccinated heifers were infected. I'm pretty sure the fetal protection level would be better with an mlv.

But...in your situation with those two pregnant cows, I'd probably go with the killed, and try to get 'em back in rotation with an mlv next time around.

 

[dun]

Depending on how far out of sync they are with the rest of the cows, what we've done is skipped the normal vavvinating program an dwaited until after they claved. Then shortly after calving we've hit them with the MLV and got them back synced wit hthe rest of the cows for the next go round. We've only had that issue with cows that we bought in as breds.

 

[Lucky_P]

Ron,
I've done just a little looking - milkmaid may be more up to date than I. But, the only killed/inactivated vaccine that I've seen making a fetal protection claim has a killed BVD fraction - but still has mlv IBR, which could potentially cause abortion - I still wouldn't feel comfortable using it in a pregnant cow, if she's not been properly/adequately vaccinated with mlv products in the past.

The 'aids in prevention of disease' label claim is third-tier, behind 'Prevents Infection' and 'Prevents Disease'; with that 'aids in prevention of disease' claim, they're admitting - though the wording doesn't tell you that - that a significant % of vaccinated cattle will become infected, and a significant number will require treatment, as they're likely to develop clinical disease - but at lower levels than naive, unvaccinated animals.
http://beef.msu.edu/Resources/Health/Un ... fault.aspx

 

[wbvs58]

Ron I'd be inclined to just leave them and do them with MLV after they calve. The rest of your herd has been vaccinated and the chance of having a PI is slim as few recent introductions. Also how far along are they? They are probably passed the window where the foetus could become a PI anyway.
A killed BVD vaccine is all that we have and it is tedious to keep them up with an annual vaccination and the heifers two doses before joining. IT is just BVD by itself and it is safe to give to pregnant cows.
Ken

 

[inyati13]

Ron,
I've done just a little looking - milkmaid may be more up to date than I. But, the only killed/inactivated vaccine that I've seen making a fetal protection claim has a killed BVD fraction - but still has mlv IBR, which could potentially cause abortion - I still wouldn't feel comfortable using it in a pregnant cow, if she's not been properly/adequately vaccinated with mlv products in the past.

The 'aids in prevention of disease' label claim is third-tier, behind 'Prevents Infection' and 'Prevents Disease'; with that 'aids in prevention of disease' claim, they're admitting - though the wording doesn't tell you that - that a significant % of vaccinated cattle will become infected, and a significant number will require treatment, as they're likely to develop clinical disease - but at lower levels than naive, unvaccinated animals.
http://beef.msu.edu/Resources/Health/Un ... fault.aspx

Thanks Lucky. CattleMaster comes to mind as one that has the killed BVD and live IBR component. My new heifer, Margo, that came from Fire Sweep Ranch is one of my pregnant animals that has never been exposed to MLV except in the form of CattleMaster. One of the reason's I started this thread was because of text conversation I had with Kris about Margo's status. Kris is very sensitive to the Bovi-Shield Gold FP MLV vaccine. But she does use CattleMaster. What I ended up getting was Novartis Vira Shield 6. I vaccinated part of my herd this week-end and did my parasite work (Ivomec).

Kris says she has experienced abortions and her cattle got a terrible fever a couple years ago as a result of the subject vaccine. As you know, my experience has been the opposite but the nature of the converstion I had with the young fellow at SS and with Kris raised my concerns. I have never had an abortion in my herd to the best of my knowledge. In addition, I don't recall seeing any significant reactions like Kris described. I know you remember the heifer I bought open and was actually pregnant. I gave her two doses of the Bovi-Shield which she had never been exposed to but she still carried the calf to term.

Thanks again for the effort; I bookmarked the label info. Thanks to dun and Ken.