Clostridial vaccination efficacy on stimulating and maintaining an immune response in beef cows and calves.

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy in stimulating and maintaining an immune response in the presence of maternal antibodies, compare the extent of the anamnestic responses to revaccination, and compare the maternal antibody response of 2- or 5-mL clostridial vaccination. In Exp. 1, 118 nursing calves were randomly assigned to receive a 2-mL (Alpha-7, A7) or a 5-mL clostridial vaccine (Ultrabac 7; UB7) at 50.4 +/- 15.30 (X +/- SD) d of age (d 0 = date of calving). Calves were revaccinated with the same treatment on d 170. Blood samples were collected from 10 calves of each treatment group on d 50, 170, and 191 to determine antitoxin units for Clostridium perfringens type C (PC) and D (PD) and agglutination titers for Cl. chauvoei (CC). The A7-treated calves tended (P< .10) to have higher PC units on d 170, an increased rate of change in PD units from d 170 to d 191 (P < .06), and a tendency (P < .10) for enhanced CC titers on d 191 compared with UB7-treated calves. In Exp. 2, 109 pregnant cows and 83 pregnant heifers were randomly assigned within a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design. The main effects were dam age (cow or heifer), dam treatment (A7 or UB7), and calf treatment (A7 or UB7). Dams were vaccinated with A7 or UB7 d 124 prepartum (d -124) and d 53 after birth. At d 53.4 +/- 12.88, calves were vaccinated with A7 or UB7 (d 53). Calves were revaccinated with the same treatment on d 173. Blood samples were collected from 10 dams per treatment group on d -124, 53, and 173 and from their calves on d 53, 173, and 194. Cows had higher antitoxin levels for PC (P < .01) and PD (P < .05) than heifers. The A7-treated dams had higher (P < .01) PD units on d 53 and d 173 and CC on d 173 than did UB7-treated dams. Calves from A7-treated cows had higher (P < .03) PD units on d 53 than calves from UB7-treated cows. The A7-treated calves had higher titers for CC (P < .01) on d 173 than did UB7-treated calves, and this enhanced level seemed to continue to d 194 (P < .08). In conclusion, titers for clostridial diseases in 50- to 53-d-old calves can be enhanced if dams are vaccinated approximately 4 mo before calving, and 120 d between clostridial vaccinations seems to be too long for adequate protection.

Clostridial Abomasitis and Enteritis in Ruminants

“…72,92 For the former group, immunization of pregnant cows and heifers has been shown to produce antitoxin titers considered adequate for protection against type C and D infections in colostrum-fed calves. 99 Many ranchers immunize calves with multivalent clostridial vaccines before weaning, but, in many cases, repeat immunization of calves to provoke an anamnestic titer is not consistently performed during the preweaning period. Troxel and colleagues 99 determined that vaccination of colostrum-fed calves (from immunized dams) with a multivalent clostridial vaccine at 50 to 53 days of age and again at weaning at w170 days produced titers to beta and epsilon toxin that were not considered protective for calves during the preweaning period.…”

Neonatal Immune Development in the Calf and Its Impact on Vaccine Response

“…Localized vaccine reactions are the most frequent and have the most serious side effects [65]. Maternal interference significantly inhibited Clostridial spp antibody responses in calves vaccinated at 3 [66] or 50 [67] days of age.…”

Clostridium perfringensin poultry: an emerging threat for animal and public health

“…Vaccination against C. perfringens Vaccination can induce/elicit antibody titres against clostridia and clostridial toxins in mice, lambs, piglets, goats and calves (Troxel et al, 1997;de la Rosa et al, 1997;Springer & Selbitz, 1999;Schoepe et al, 2001). Recently, a fusion protein carrying antigenic determinants of the alpha toxin, beta toxin and enterotoxin was constructed, inducing antibodies against each of the three separate components, when injected in mice (Belyi & Varfolomeeva, 2003).…”