The vaccine developed by Bioinnovo SA, a technology-based company made up of INTA and the firm Vetanco SA, demonstrated very good results in the field and its use was extended in establishments of all production sizes throughout the country. In fact, trials carried out on dairy farms showed a decrease in mortality of 33%, which went from a general herd mortality of 5.2% to a mortality of 3.4%.
“For almost 2 years we have been using the vaccine and we have improved pregnancies by 30%,” said Norberto Hoffman, a livestock producer from the Santa Silvina –Chaco– area, who is dedicated exclusively to breeding Bradford and Brahman. In addition, he added that “the cases of diarrhea decreased greatly and the weight gain in the calves is notable compared to other years.”
The immune response induced by the vaccine is very powerful and achieves antibody levels that in many cases are higher than those generated by natural infection. In this sense, Demian Bellido –researcher, leader of bovine recombinant vaccines at Bioinnovo S. A– pointed out that “to date approximately 3 million doses of the Vedevax Block vaccine have been applied, mainly associated with the reproductive vaccine, although in recent “The use in conjunction with the respiratory vaccine has also grown a lot over the years.”
The best way to evaluate the correct functioning of the vaccine is by measuring neutralizing antibodies that serve both to control Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in the herds where the virus circulates and to prevent the virus from entering the herds that are today free from the disease.
Bellido highlighted: “The antibodies generated by the vaccine last for a period of no less than one year in vaccinated animals,” and added that, “due to its novel targeting system, the vaccine manages to induce a very powerful humoral and cellular response. Antibodies are essential to control the infection while the cellular response is essential to eliminate the virus from infected cells.”
The vaccine and its benefits
In Argentina, the DVB causes losses of 100 million dollars a year and, at the Mercosur level, according to estimates provided by the company, around 500 million dollars a year. This is because it causes a significant number of deaths and abortions in cows.
This virus is characterized by generating a decrease in the defenses of infected animals – immunosuppression – which predisposes to the appearance of diseases caused by secondary or opportunistic agents, which increases the number of sick animals, decreases their production/productivity and can reach even to end the death of animals, which increases economic losses.
Infected heifers, cows and bulls see their fertility diminished, since the virus produces sperm alterations in males and also alterations in ovarian function in females. In turn, the immunosuppression caused by the BVD virus predisposes to pregnancy loss and reproductive losses caused by other infectious agents such as IBR, neospora or leptospira, just to name a few.
Although the vaccine does not have/has a direct effect on the reproductive organs, it can have a great impact on the reproductive performance of herds where the BVD virus is a problem. Because BVD is present in 80% of local facilities, vaccination is often associated with reproductive improvements.
“In the trials, an improvement in the overall pregnancy rate of between 3% and 5% was obtained and a decrease in abortions also between 3% and 5%. In specific fields, where DVB was a very serious problem, improvements of up to 10% have been observed in conception rates and a decrease of up to 8% in abortion rates,” Bellido clarified.
Other field results in which the impact of Vedevax Block was evaluated in a large breeding establishment in the NOA showed a 6% increase in the number of calves born and also a 10% increase in calving head. Therefore, in that trial, more calves were obtained and they were able to obtain more weight at the time of weaning.
The vaccine impacts the country’s economic activity on two levels. Bellido pointed out that “on the one hand, it proved to be efficient in controlling the DVB virus, which allowed an increase in the production of calves, kilos of meat and liters of milk, this favors an industry that supplies both the local and international markets.” .
And on the other hand, given its commercial growth abroad, it will produce foreign exchange earnings for the country through a product with a high added value. The vaccine is already registered in Peru and Bolivia and in the final stages prior to marketing in Mexico, Brazil and Uruguay. “The market has been very receptive to the vaccine, although it still has great growth potential, sales have increased in the order of 20% to 25% annually,” Bellido pointed out.
2024-04-09 14:46:29
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