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Do Your Cattle Vaccines Protect the Fetus or Neglect it?

Reproductive loss in U.S. beef herds costs cattle producers approximately $500 million per year. 1 But not all vaccines for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) protect against the reproductive forms of these diseases. In the event of infectious disease exposure, use of vaccines that don’t protect the fetus can leave the door open to economic losses from low pregnancy rates, abortions, calf deaths and more.


Fetal Protection Matters

Protecting the health of the unborn calf is important to the vitality of the calf and the future productivity and profitability of your operation. How do you know if vaccines offer fetal protection (FP)?

Examine the labels for:

  • "FP" in the product name, designating the vaccine provides fetal protection
  • A specific statement that the vaccine prevents IBR abortions
  • A specific statement that the vaccine prevents persistently infected (PI) calves caused by BVD Types 1 and 2
  • A specific statement that the vaccine is effective against BVD fetal infection
  • A Fetal Protection Guarantee*
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Get The Highest Level of Protection Available

The FP vaccines from Zoetis offer the highest levels of protection available for both respiratory and reproductive disease challenges. Neither Vira Shield ® nor Triangle ® provide reproductive protection against IBR abortion, BVD fetal infection or BVD PI.

FP vaccines chart

NEW STUDY REVEALS ANOTHER FETAL PROTECTION immunization series OPTION

Vaccinating cattle before breeding with modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines that offer fetal protection against IBR abortion and BVD PI calves is the most effective way to protect the cow and unborn calf. 2 But if you can’t maintain a pregnant cow MLV vaccination program, groundbreaking research demonstrates there's an effective alternative.

Heifers that received two pre-breeding doses of BOVI-SHIELD GOLD FP ® 5 followed by either annual revaccination with the same MLV vaccine or transitioned to CATTLEMASTER GOLD FP ® 5, a combination inactivated BVD vaccine containing a temperature-sensitive IBR component, received similarly high levels of protection in preventing fetal infection and loss due to exposure to Types 1a, 1b and 2 BVD virus or bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), the cause of IBR abortions. 3

download the study

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References
  1. Bellows DS, Ott SL, Bellows RA. Review: Cost of Reproductive Diseases and Conditions in Cattle. Prof Anim Sci. 2002;18(1):26-32.
  2. Newcomer BW, Givens D. Diagnosis and Control of Viral Diseases of Reproductive Importance Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis and Bovine Viral Diarrhea. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2016;32(2):425-441.
  3. Walz PH, Givens MD, Rodning SP, et al. Evaluation of reproductive protection against bovine viral diarrhea virus and bovine herpesvirus-1 afforded by annual revaccination with modified-live viral or combination modified-live/killed viral vaccines after primary vaccination with modified-live viral vaccine. Vaccine. 2017;35(7):1046-1054.
Legal

*The Zoetis 100% BVD PI-Free Guarantee and the IBR Abortion Guarantee will be administered through Zoetis Veterinary Medical Information and Product Support (VMIPS) at 800-366-5288. Proof of purchase is required. Calves born to BVD PI-positive cows or heifers do not qualify for the guarantee. This guarantee does not apply to, and Zoetis shall not be liable for, any (x) damages caused as a result of the improper handling, misuse or abuse of the vaccines that are the subject of this guarantee, or the willful misconduct or negligence of any third party, or (y) any indirect, punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages. Zoetis reserves the right to modify or cancel the terms and conditions of this guarantee.

Express and Triangle are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Vira Shield is a registered trademark of Novartis Tiergensundheit AG Corporation.