Serological response to early vaccination against Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in dairy calves
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University of Pretoria
Abstract
Calves infected with Babesia bovis or Babesia bigemina between 3 and 9 months of age can develop immunity without showing overt clinical signs. This transient immunity is not dependent on maternal immunity. After 9 months of age, they are fully susceptible to challenge. Dairy calves between 2 and 3 months of age were vaccinated with B. bigemina and B. bovis live frozen vaccines (Onderstepoort Biological Products®). Two months after vaccination, 90% of calves were serologically positive on IFA test to B. bigemina, and 70% were serologically positive to B. bovis. At this age, only 17% of the control group had seroconverted to B. bigemina and none of the calves had seroconverted to B. bovis. All experimental calves maintained positive serological status to both B. bovis</i. and B. bigemina for at least 5 months after vaccination. It is sound practice to vaccinate dairy calves against babesiosis at 2–3 months of age. Endemic stability is achieved before the period of natural resistance wanes. Copyright
Description
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Keywords
Babesia bovis, Vaccination, Dairy calves, Babesia bigemina, UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Davis, AJ 2011, Serological response to early vaccination against Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in dairy calves, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29672 >