Penn State Cooperative Extension
Capitol Region Dairy Team
IMMUNITY DOESNT COME
IN A BOTTLE
Dr. Arlen Mills
Capitol Region
Extension Veterinarian
We often think that our live
stock will be healthy if we can
only find the right vaccine.
Vaccination is important, but
natural mechanisms are an ani
mal’s first line of defense against
infections. This would include
things such as tears, saliva, en
zymes, and the mucus lining the
respiratory system. Even the skin
is an important protector for the
body, as it acts as a physical bar
rier to invasion by pathogens.
This fact becomes particularly
evident as we consider the teat
end in the dairy cow. Compro
mise the skin of the teat end and
canal and mastitis results.
If a bacteria or virus gets past
the physical barriers and invades
the body, a second line of defense
called inflammation goes into ac
tion. White bloodcells attack and
attempt to eat up the invaders.
Dairy producers know these as
somatic cells.
If these defenses are breached,
the body has still another defense
system which we refer to as the
immune system. It is this system
that we are hoping to enhance
whenever a vaccine is given to
our animals. When an animal is
vaccinated, the body should re
spond by creating antibodies. But
we know that mis does not al
ways occur. In studies done with
feeder calves, as many as 15 per
cent may fail to respond and be
protected when vaccinated.
There are a number of possible
reasons for this vaccine failure, so
let’s look at several major ones.
Genetics can affect the im
mune response. Compared to
their ancestors, today’s dairy cow
is highly inbred. While we have
selected for various production
traits, we have ignored the effect
on the ability to generate a prop
er immune response. I suspect
that we may nave selected for
some of the reproductive prob
lems that we have as well. The
first step in solving this problem
is to recognize it.
In order for cattle to respond
to vaccination or fight off infec
tions, adequate nutation is neces
sary. Adequate energy, vitamins,
minerals, protein, and clean
water is needed. We need to be
reminded that the immune sys
tem places constant metabolic de
mands on the cow, and it is one
part of the cow which never rests.
With the adoption of total
mixed rations in the dairy indus
try, most producers do a good job WASHINGTON, D.C. The
of formulating and delivering a National Council of Farmer Co
high quality diet. However, diets operatives (NCFC) recently
may not be reformulated during called on Congress to ensure that
periods of stress or intake may an y economic stimulus package
Sar«s. i w m&s *> -r f — Tr* i
shortages may occur which short- America s farm families and
circuit the animal’s ability to rura * communities,
mount a strong immune re- “Revitalizing the U.S. agricul
sponse. Research has shown that tural sector is crucial,” em
nutrients such a copper, iron, phasized David Graves, president
zinc, selenium, and vitamins A a nd CEO of NCFC, “especially
and E can all have a great effect when you consider that it is our
° n ?y stem - .When nation’s largest single industry,
ITJSSSSSSSA “s f 'SLTSfSSLE
mune response or cause an ad- P 6 . en . ®*. .
verse reaction to a vaccine. product (GDP) mid nearly one
through some degree of immune A key component of the eco-
Dr. Arlen Mills
suppression in the week prior to
freshening and for a week or two
after calving. Some of this may
foe duetto a nutritional deficiency,
as the cow eats less during this
critical time. But part may also
be caused by hormonal changes.
Estrogen rises at this time and
there is research to show that es
trogen may suppress the immune
.system.,
-Hie stress on the cow at this
time also raises her level of corti
sone, which is an immune-sup
pressor. For this reason I would
not vaccinate a cow just before or
soon after freshening. But any
stress such aS being moved into
a new pen, vaccination, hoof
trimming, heat stress, and other
management practices can all
interact with nutrition and the
immune system in detrimental
ways.
Another big immune suppres
sor is acidosis. In the acidotic
cow, abnormal rumen bacteria
produce gram-negative toxins.
These toxins depress the normal
function of the cells of the im
mune system. Cows affected by
subclinical acidosis are immune
suppressed cows. The solution is
obvious.
So when you have a “vaccine
failure,” what is to blame? Rarely
in my experience is it the vaccine
itself It is usually a failure of ei
ther tuning, vaccine handlihjg, or
failure to respond because of one
of the factors discussed. Vaccine
strategies will be discussed in a
forthcoming article.
NCFC Urges Tax Provisions For Farmers
Be Part Of Stimulus Package
Pa. Winegrowers Can Compete
For California's Market Share
ANDY ANDREWS
Editor
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
“We have to take on Califor
nia,” said Tim Gorman, presi
dent of the Virginia Vineyard As
sociation (WA). “And the way
you do that is with higher-quality
wines.”
Gorman spoke Wednesday to
about 45 grape growers and
winemakers at the fall vineyard
meeting co-sponsored by Penn
State and the Pennsylvania Asso
ciation of Winegrowers (PAW) at
the Farm and Home Center in
Lancaster.
The key to success in taking
away California’s market share,
Gorman noted, is to involve more
grape growers and winery man
agers at vineyard meetings, at
which both can benefit by sharing
good growing methods and fo
cusing on what consumers want.
The WA, based in Ivy, Va.,
boasts about 200 members,
according to Gorman. Cost of
membership is $4O per year.
Virginia-made wine makes up
5 percent of total state consump
tion, and about 95 percent of the
rest comes from California. Of
the 95 percent, about 50 percent
includes jug wine and 20 percent
is fine table wine mostly from
California.
“We have to increase our mar
ket share,” said Gorman. For the
last decade, Virginia-based wines
accounted for only 4 percent of
state consumption. But because
wine is available in shops and
grocery stores, Virginia-based
wine sales have increased.
Growers and winemakers can
m&t for WA’s aftnuW'winter
conference, a multiday, in-depth
technical seminar scheduled Feb.
14-16 at the Omni in Charlottes
ville. For more information, con
tact Gorman, in Aft on, Va., at
(540)456-8298.
The growers and winemakers
also meet at the annual summer
“spray off,” where sprayer manu
facturers demonstrate equip
ment.
Gorman noted that through
education and communication of
the nonprofit WA, “we’re more
savvy, and our industry is getting
bigger,” he said. “Politically,
we’re getting roots.”
Mark Chien, Penn State multi
county extension agent, spoke
about the successful completion
of an extension service-directed
survey conducted by an advisory
group to PAW.
In the primarily viticultural
survey, according to Chien, out
of 200 ntaned survey packets, 65
responded throughout Pennsyl
vania, These inclnded grape
growers and winemakers.
nomic stimulus package should pending before Congress to give
indutte the tax provisions con- farmers a greater opportunity to
tained hi 5.312, the “Tax Em- improve their income from the
powerment and Relief for Farm- marketplace, manage their risk,
ers and Fisherman Act” capitalize on potential market
(TERRF). The bill, introduced by opportunities and compete more
Senators Max Wus (D-Mont.)
and Chuck Grasdey (R-Iowa), 8 P
chairman and rSing minority . Parity client tax law to
member of the Senate Finance far^ers t 0 COO pe ra tively
Committee, dong with 22 co- mar^e t value-added products
sponsors, would encourage coop- through animal processing (the
erative self-help efforts by pro- conversion of feed by chickens
viding farmers with needed tax jjjto products such as eggs, for
relief and incentives to help at- example) on the same basis as
tract capital and investment. products derived from mechani-
The tax provisions of 5.312 are cal processing (wheat into flour);
part of a comprehensive package • Eliminate the “dividend allo
of by" bdtloh' rule;’" whfch'uitfairly im-
Winegrowers met Wednesday at the fail vineyard meet
ing at the Farm and Home Center. From left, David Hoff
man, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Wine
growers; James W. Travis, Penn State professor of plant
pathology and extension fruit pathologist; Tim Gorman,
president of the Virginia Vineyard Association; and Bill
Nelson, vice president, government relations, American
Vintners Association. Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
The survey addressed what the
primary issues were in the indus
try. Respondents noted that the
big issues were related to vine
yard health disease control,
vine decline, and vine health and
nutrition.
Those issues are prominent in
Pennsylvania because of the often
humid, hot climate of the grow
ing season, conducive to the de
velopment of fungal diseases and
insect pressure.
Chien noted, hovyever, this
past growing season will provide
“one of the best vintages we’ve
ever had in Pennsylvania,” he
said, with the substantially dry
weather.
The survey will serve as a tool
to provide a plan of action. The
PAW, in conjunction with Penn
State, will try to come up with a
strategic plan so that government
funding can be secured to devel
op projects to help the vineyard
industry. Those projects include
research into better ways to im
prove vineyard health and to
boost marketing of Pennsylvania
grown and marketed wines.
The average number of acres
reported on the survey was eight.
That’s “more than we expected,”
Chien noted. Pennsylvania wine
grape growers range between
those who have a few vines to
about 60 acres, noted the exten
sion agent.
The meeting, which included
one core and one category pesti
cide credits, will help the PAW
and Penn State gamer the in
formation needed to develop a
strategic plan. Developing that
plan “enhances your abilities and
multiplies your effectiveness,”
noted BUI Nelson, vice president,
government relations, of the
American Vintners Associations
(AVA) in Washington, t).C.
Nelson, who spoke at t||c fleet
ing, said these types of gatherings
allow “everyone to get involved,”
he said, to develop a plan cru
cial to getting state and federal
project binding.
Nelson sqid the AVA inchides
650 winery members in 44 states.
California, he said, comprises
about 40 percent of AVA mem
bership.
Grapes are the sixth latgest
crop in the U.S., Nelson noted,
“almost as big as cotton/* Penn
sylvania is “one of the top 10
states,” Nelson said, with a lot of
active wineries and growers.
Other states, including North
Dakota, now make wine. They
had to change statutes dating
back to 1933. But wineries are re
placing tobacco-growing regions
in many parts of the U.S.
Also at the meeting, Eric Mill
er, chairman of the Penn State
extension advisory committee,
spoke about developing the strat
egic plan. James W. Travis, Penn
State professor of plant patholo
gy and extension fruit patholo
gist, also spoke about control of
powdery mildew at the meeting.
For more information about
PAW, contact them at P.O. Box
400, Kemblesville, PA 19347, or
call Mark Chien at (717)
394-6851.
poses an additional or third “tax”
on preferred stock dividends paid
by farmer cooperative businesses,
reduces the amount of earnings
that may be returned to its farm
er owners, and limits their ability
to raise equity capital for mod
ernization and expansion
• Allow the existing 10-cent
credit for small ethanol produc
ers to be passed through by a
farmer cooperative directly to
and for the benefit of its farmer
owners; and
• Extend declaratory judgment
procedures to ensure that farmer
cooperatives have the same rights
to judicial review on tax-related
issues as any other similar tvne
ehtity.'' '