Bovilis® BVD 50-dose multi-pack launched

Intervet’s Bovilis BVD vaccine is now available in a convenient 50-dose PET vial (100ml).This new, fully flexible pack is also fully compatible with Intervet’s Eco-Matic vaccinator gun, ensuring consistent, accurate and efficient intramuscular dosing.

BVD is the UK’s number one cause of abortion in dairy cattle and it remains a very costly disease to the industry. As a disease, it also causes immunosuppression that can make stock more susceptible to other diseases. And this is despite the relatively low cost of vaccinating of around £4 per cow, compared to the animal’s value of perhaps £700 - £900.

Recent reports in the farming press have suggested a BVD eradication scheme for the UK, which could have significant benefits for livestock exporters and the overall health of the UK’s dairy and beef herds.   If such a scheme were to be instigated, there are a number of measures that would have to be put in place by farmers.   Biosecurity and vaccination would undoubtedly feature on top of the list of priorities.

Intervet’s Bovilis BVD vaccine is well placed to help farmers control the disease, since it was developed from the UK’s very own strain of BVD - strain C86.   This gives it a very broad spectrum of control against the disease in the UK.

Detailed research into BVD has shown that many farmers are totally unaware of their herd’s BVD status.   This need not be the case since there are many relatively cheap tests available that can determine whether or not the disease is present.

Intervet offers two highly valuable diagnostic services to farmers through veterinary practices that use the company’s vaccine, Bovilis BVD.   DairyCheck and BeefCheck will very quickly and reliably determine the BVD and/or IBR status of a herd.   The results will indicate if either disease is active and current in the herd, or whether there has been exposure within the last four to five years.   Combining these results with the observations of other typical symptoms will help determine the best course of action, including vaccination if either disease is present.

The practice has more information of the new Bovilis BVD 50-dase pack, and the DairyCheck and BeefCheck diagnostic services.

Article first published 28/06/06