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Researcher would like more vaccination field trials

A university research veterinarian says she would welcome more field trials on calf vaccination medicines.

Dr. Amelia Woolums with Mississippi State University tells Brownfield every licensed vaccine is tested in what is called an experimental challenge study but says field trials tell more about how the vaccines work in the real world.  “Calves are vaccinated or not in a very controlled environment and then purposely exposed to infection to see if they can resist it, but it’s a relatively artificial scenario compared to the complicated and beautiful world on a lot of calf rearing facilities and dairies, and we need more tests of vaccines in those environments.”

Woolums says some producers vaccinate calves right away, while others wait.  She says vaccination programs vary because every farm is different.

That’s why Woolums says it’s important to know the herd.  “The vaccine isn’t something that is necessarily completely harmless and so there’s a cost and benefit that have to be weighed and the producer working together with a vet that best knows their herd and the health risks are the best to decide how to use vaccines.”

Woolums spoke to Brownfield at the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association conference in Milwaukee.