If you’re looking to raise robust calves, look to the Boehringer Ingelheim premier vaccine families of PYRAMID® + PRESPONSE® SQ. Backed by research, their proven performance defends your herd against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to bovine respiratory disease. By prioritizing early calf health, you set calves up for a healthier, more productive future.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the efficacy of an adjuvanted modified-live virus (MLV) vaccine used in the presence of maternal antibodies against a BRSV challenge.
FINDINGS
- PYRAMID 5 group had significant reduction in overall percentage of BRSV lung involvement compared to controls.
- By eight days post challenge, all the vaccinates (17/17) were positive for the expression of IgA, while only 5/16 of the controls expressed IgA following challenge.
- BRSV was shed from the PYRAMID 5 group at lower levels and for fewer days as compared to the control group.
TAKE-AWAY
- Administration of PYRAMID 5 to calves approximately 30 days of age and fed colostrum containing BRSV antibodies decreased the severity and duration of clinical signs after direct BRSV challenge.
- Research shows that PYRAMID vaccines can stimulate IgA antibody production to boost local immunity against BRSV, a feature previously only attributed to intranasal vaccines.
OBJECTIVE
Determine if young calves with maternal antibodies from colostrum could be protected from a virulent BVDV Type 2 challenge seven months after vaccination with PYRAMID 5 at a young age.
TREATMENT
- Negative Control – antibody-free colostrum supplement (milk replacer)
- PYRAMID 5 Vaccinates – calves given colostrum from BVDV-vaccinated cows
- Positive Control – calves given colostrum from BVDV-vaccinated cows
FINDINGS
- No PYRAMID 5 vaccinated calf died following BVD virus challenge.
- PYRAMID 5 calves gained weight after challenge.
TAKE-AWAY
PYRAMID 5 vaccination in one month-old calves protected against clinical disease when challenged with BVDV Type 2 seven months following vaccination.
OBJECTIVE
Investigate the immune response to four different subgenotypes of BVDV by measuring antibody titers produced from six commercial vaccines, including PYRAMID 5, Arsenal® 4, and Bovi-Shield GOLD® FP 5.
FINDINGS
Vaccines containing the Singer strain of BVDV demonstrated higher levels of BVDV 1a– and BVDV 1b–neutralizing antibodies than vaccines containing the NADL strain of BVDV.
TAKE-AWAY
- When evaluating BVDV vaccines, it is crucial to choose a vaccine that can robustly stimulate the immune system and has demonstrated protection against BVDV 1b, the most common strain in the U.S. cattle population4.
- Vaccines containing the Singer strain, like PYRAMID, have demonstrated their ability to stimulate a calf’s immune response.
OBJECTIVE
Determine the effects on health, performance and immune response of different injectable vaccine regimens administered at 62 or 188 days of age, and again at weaning in beef calves:
- Typical preconditioning guidelines recommend calves be vaccinated at or near weaning (180 to 210 days of age) because of the assumption that maternal antibodies inactivate vaccine pathogens before this time.
FINDINGS
At both ages, when young beef calves were vaccinated with PYRAMID® 5 + PRESPONSE® SQ:
- There was no difference in growth performance and health outcome
- There was a proven immune response to BVDV, even in the presence of maternal antibodies
TAKE-AWAY
In the presence of maternal antibodies, vaccination of calves at branding with PYRAMID 5 stimulated a cell-mediated-immunity (CMI) response to BVDV and a significant antibody response to BVDV Type 1a.
OBJECTIVE
Compare the effects of PYRAMID® 5, Bovi-Shield GOLD® FP 5 and BOVI-SHIELD GOLD IBR-BVD on performance, health and carcass quality of auction-derived steers.
FINDINGS
Among the 3,147 animals studied, steers receiving PYRAMID 5 had:
- 11% LOWER BRD MORBIDITY RATE +
- 22% LOWER RELAPSE RATE OVER BOVI-SHIELD GOLD 5
Combined treatment and railer (culling) costs were lower when compared to:
- $8.81 less per head than Bovi-Shield Gold 5
- $7.56 less per head than Bovi-Shield Gold IBR-BVD
TAKE-AWAY
Compared to steers vaccinated with BOVI-SHIELD GOLD 5 or BOVI-SHIELD GOLD IBR-BVD, those vaccinated at arrival with PYRAMID 5 had improved feed conversion, lower morbidity and relapse rates due to BRD, and lower BRD-associated railer rates, for an economic advantage in treatment and railer costs.
OBJECTIVE
Compare the effects of administering
- Metaphylactic treatment with tilmicosin alone or
- Tilmicosin plus PRESPONSE® SQ vaccine on cattle health and economic return in a commercial feedlot setting, when given on arrival.
FINDINGS
PRESPONSE SQ in combination with metaphylactic tilmicosin helped reduce BRD in high-risk steers.
Effect of tilmicosin alone or in combination with mannheimia haemolytica toxoid on morbidity, mortality and railer rates of high-risk feedlot steers (ls means).
TAKE-AWAY
PRESPONSE SQ vaccine in combination with tilmicosin reduced BRD morbidity and mortality in high-risk steer calves compared to the use of tilmicosin alone. There was a $14.77/head advantage to using PRESPONSE SQ and tilmicosin versus tilmicosin alone.
Mannheimia haemolytica produces leukotoxins to weaken calf defenses
Moments after calves are born, Mannheimia haemolytica bacteria enter their nostrils and colonize the nasal passages.
Stress and viral infection can damage the lining of the upper respiratory tract.
The damaged upper respiratory tract allows the bacteria to invade the lungs and multiply.
Bacterial invasion of the lungs triggers macrophages and neutrophils, which are white blood cells of the immune system, to travel to the lungs and ingest invading bacteria.
Rapidly growing M. haemolytica organisms produce a leukotoxin, which functionally impairs and kills macrophages and neutrophils.
Dying macrophages and neutrophils release enzymes, resulting in lung tissue destruction and fibrinous pneumonia.
Why many respiratory vaccines fail
Bacterins, which are killed or attenuated bacteria used in a vaccine, contain bacterial surface antigens that are unique to those bacteria.
These surface antigens are designed to stimulate the body to produce antibodies against them.
When infection occurs, the antibody will recognize the surface antigen on the bacteria, bind to it and destroy the bacteria.
Macrophages and neutrophils then ingest the bacteria.
However, bacterins do not always contain leukotoxoids, substances that induce the production of leukotoxin-neutralizing antibodies. As a result, the bacterin may not protect the animal from the damage caused by leukotoxins.
Leukotoxoids to the rescue
PRESPONSE SQ vaccine contains both bacterial surface antigens and leukotoxoids. This means that antibodies are produced that bind to the bacterial surface antigens on M. haemolytica.
The leukotoxoids stimulate the immune system to produce anti-leukotoxin antibodies, which neutralize the destructive action of leukotoxins.
This allows intact macrophages to ingest and destroy M. haemolytica organisms, minimizing lung damage. PRESPONSE SQ vaccine also contains no whole cells or cellular debris that can cause adverse reactions.
