Bovigen Scour
Active substance
ATC code
Species
Cattle (pregnant cows and heifers)
Indications
For the active immunisation of pregnant cows and heifers to raise antibodies against E. coli adhesion F5 (K 99) antigen, rotavirus and coronavirus. When calves are fed colostrum from vaccinated cows during the first week of life, these antibodies have been demonstrated to reduce the severity of diarrhoea caused by bovine rotavirus, bovine coronavirus and enteropathogenic E. coli F5 (K99) and to reduce the shedding of virus by calves infected with bovine rotavirus or bovine coronavirus.
Onset of immunity: Passive immunity commences with colostrum feeding and is dependent on calves receiving sufficient colostrum after birth.
Dose to be administered and administration route
For intramuscular use.
Common aseptic procedures should be used during vaccination.
Only sterile syringes and needles should be used.
Allow the vaccine to reach room temperature before use. Shake well before and occasionally during use to ensure that the sediment is dissolved prior to administration.
For the 90 ml and 450 ml pack sizes, it is recommended to use automated dosing equipment to protect the stopper against damage from multiple piercing.
One dose: 3 ml
One dose in the course of each pregnancy, given in the 12 – 3 week period before calving is expected.
Feeding of colostrum
The protection of calves depends on adequate ingestion of colostrum from vaccinated cows. Measures should be taken to ensure that calves receive sufficient amounts of colostrum within the first few days of life. If calves do not get enough antibodies through the colostrum soon after they are born, they will have failure of passive transfer of antibodies. It is important that all calves receive as much colostrum as possible from the first milking within the first six hours after calving.
It is recommended that at least 3 litres of colostrum are fed within the first 24 hours and this amount is equivalent to approximately 10% of the weight of a calf.
To achieve optimum results and to reduce infection pressure on the farm, a whole herd cow vaccination policy should be adopted.
Adverse reactions
A slight swelling of 5-7 cm in diameter at the site of injection is common and may in some cases be accompanied initially by increased local temperature. Typically, such swelling resolves within 15 days.
Slight, transient increases in temperature (up to 0.8 °C) may be observed within 24 hours of vaccination, resolving within 4 days after vaccination.
The frequency of adverse reactions is defined using the following convention:
- very common (more than 1 in 10 animals treated displaying adverse reaction(s))
- common (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 100 animals treated)
- uncommon (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 1,000 animals treated)
- rare (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 10,000 animals treated)
- very rare (less than 1 animal in 10,000 animals treated, including isolated reports).
