Reduction of Rotavirus‐, Coronavirus‐ and E. coli‐Associated Calf‐Diarrheas in a Large‐Size Dairy Herd by Means of Dam Vaccination with a Triple‐Vaccine*

Abstract

Summary Enzootic diarrhea of calves has formed a serious problem and caused losses for years in the dairy herd kept at Vienna Veterinary University's Field Station. In previous investigations bovine coronavirus had been determined as the most pathogenic enteric agent, bovine rotavirus as secondary causal virus, whereas enteropathogenic E. coli and Cryptosporidia were present but insignificant causally. Two earlier systematic immunoprophylactic trials to reduce the incidence and severity of diarrheas of newborn calves failed. Vaccinating pregnant dams twice with a trivalent commercial vaccine containing live attenuated rotavirus and coronavirus plus K 99 + antigen of E. coli (Scourguard 3 [R]) mediated most remarkable results. These were recorded clinically and were assessed by performing daily ELISAs on calf fecal samples up to day 14 after birth for both rotavirus and coronavirus antigens. Shedding of enteropathogenic E. coli and of cryptosporidia were also controlled. Furthermore, antibody titres against rotavirus and coronavirus were determined in cows' blood serum, colostrum and whole milk as well as in calf sera, including control data from unvaccinated cows and their offspring. In addition, a number of calves originating from vaccinated or unvaccinated dams were perorally challenged with rotavirus and coronavirus, again daily screening their fecal samples for virus‐shedding by ELISA. Very remarkable protective effects of dam vaccination were found clinically as well as regarding the number and shortened duration of calf shedding of rotavirus. None of 242 fecal samples contained coronavirus and none of 80 contained enteropathogenic E. coli. It is emphasized that calves must be fed milk of their vaccinated dams for a full 14 days after birth, so as to extend the continuous lactogenic immunity over the period of maximal susceptibility to the 3 enteropathogenic agents incorporated in the vaccine. Zusammenfassung Reduktion der mit Rotavirus, Coronavirus und E. coli assoziierten Durchfälle neugeborener Kälber in einem großen Milchviehbestand durch Mutterkuh‐Impfungen mittels eines trivalenten Impfstoffes Enzootische Kälberdurchfälle bildeten seit Jahren ein ernsthaftes Problem und verursachten Verluste in der Rinderherde des Lehr‐ und Forschungsgutes der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien. In früheren Erhebungen hatten wir ermittelt, daß bovines Coronavirus das Agens von höchster Pathogenität darstellte, daß bovines Rotavirus causal als zweitwichtigster Erreger fungierte, wogegen enteropathogene E. coli und Cryptosporidien wohl vorhanden aber ohne ursächliche Bedeutung für das Durchfallgeschehen waren. Zwei frühere systematische immunoprophylaktische Versuche, Häufigkeit wie Schweregrad der Durchfälle neugeborener Kälber zu reduzieren, hatten ihr Ziel nicht erreicht. Demgegenüber erbrachte nunmehr die zweimalige Schutzimpfung trächtiger Kühe mittels eines trivalenten Marktimpfstoffs, welcher lebende attenuierte Rotaviren und Coronaviren plus K 99 + Antigen von E. coli enthält (Scourguard 3 [R]), sehr bemerke...

Coronaviridae, pathogenetic and clinical aspects: An update

“…Some authors demonstrated significantly enhanced antibody-titres in mammary secretions of intramuscularly vaccinated cows, whilst other authors did not (see Ref. [42]). In our investigations significant increases were not found either, although remarkable protective effects were shown by clinical and virological parameters [42].…”

“…[42]). In our investigations significant increases were not found either, although remarkable protective effects were shown by clinical and virological parameters [42]. Attempts to immunize calves actively by the oral route were unsuccessful under field conditions because of interference with maternally-derived antibodies [43,42].…”

Exploratory cohort study to determine if dry cow vaccination with a Salmonella Newport bacterin can protect dairy calves against oral Salmonella challenge

“…Colostral immunity stimulated by vaccinating dry cows for Escherichia coli, rotavirus, and coronavirus has been used extensively in the dairy and beef industries to protect calves against diarrhea challenge. 3,4 Previous data also indicate that vaccination of dry cows can decrease fecal shedding of Salmonella in young calves. [5][6][7] However, the concept of using dry cow vaccination to decrease clinical disease caused by Salmonella in calves has not been well examined.…”

Effect of purified immunoglobulins or pooled colostrum on performance of rearing calves

“…Snodgrass et al (1980Snodgrass et al ( , 1982b stated that diarrhoea started later, that the frequency, duration and severity of diarrhoea diminished markedly, and that body weight improved in calves fed during the first 2 weeks with 10% colostrum from rotavaccinated cows. Snodgrass et al (1982a), Snodgrass (1986a, b), Soulebot et al (1983) and Btirki et al (1986) observed good protection against viral diarrhoea following continued feeding of immune milk from vaccinated cows during the first weeks of life. Vanopdenbosch and Wellemans (1981) reported on a similar experiment in 24 problem herds, that the percentage of diarrhoea decreased from 79 to 27, the onset of diarrhoea was retarded from Day 4 until Day 9, the average duration of diarrhoea decreased from 13 to 2 days and the mortality rate from 29% to 1%.…”