Vaccines Topic Of Herd Health Seminars Conducted This Week
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU Neospora ed conditional license to a vac- “The biggest mistake you can
Lancaster t arming Staff Choromanski has spent the cine, “Neoguard,” which became make is applying dewormers at
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) past seven years researching Neo- a lull license in November 2001. your convenience, not by the
For dairy and beef producers spora and developing a vaccine “The infection of Neospora is label,” he said. For the Pennsyl
alike, Neospora, although a new for the parasite. for life,” said Choromanski. Al- vania region, he said, spring and
disease, is increasing in impor- though infection can be horizon- fall seem to be optimal for vacci
tance as it moves east from Cali- tal (from dog to cow), or vertical nation,
fornia. (from cow to calf), an infected p or cows w j([,
At a seminar conducted at the
Lancaster Farm and Home Cen
ter Tuesday, New Franklin Ruri
tan Community Center on
Wednesday, and the Lebanon Ag
Center on Thursday, herd health
specifically vaccines was in
the spotlight
Presenters Dr. Les Choroman
ski, Neospora manager for Inter
vet Inc., and Dr. Arlen Mills,
Penn State extension veterinar
ian, shared their knowledge and
experience about herd health.
It was first identified in 1988
as Neospora Caninum a cause
of abortions in dogs. Researchers
recognized the disease as a major
cause of abortions in California’s
dairy cattle in 1991. The parasite
is blamed for 40,000 cattle abor
tions each year in California. In
addition to abortions, the disease
causes a drop in milk production
of more than two pounds a day.
By 1998 they had identified
dogs as a definitive host of the
disease, as the eggs of the disease,
oocysts, can be produced and
passed through a dog’s intestinal
system.
Also in 1998 the USDA grant-
cow can produce a healthy calf.
On the other hand, the fetus can
be aborted at any stage of gesta
tion. Cattle do not spread neo
sporosis horizontally to each
other.
Choromanski recommends
using a vaccine in the first tri
mester of gestation followed by a
second dose 3-4 weeks later.
Producers should use the vac
cine “if you have unacceptable
more than five percent levels of
abortion and have animals that
have tested positive for Neo
spora,” he said. However
“even the best vaccine can
fail” in a poorly-managed,
virus-infested environment.
One biosecurity measure
is to ensure that dogs are
not allowed to feed on
aborted fetuses or placentas.
Parasites, as a whole, said
Choromanski, have an ad
verse effect on the im
mune system in his lec
tures.
“Parasites in cattle
can ... more than just
nip at the producer’s
food dollar,” he said.
According to Choro
manski, a moderate to
heavy load of parasites
can interfere with the
immune system’s re
sponse.
a high parasitic
contamination
level, he recom
mended treating
them to remove
parasites to
begin the vacci
nation program.
They should be
treated again at
freshening and
again 6-8 weeks
later.
Moderately
contaminated
cows should be
treated at fresh
ening and 6-8
weeks later.
Cows with low
levels of contam
ination should
be treated once a
year at freshen
ing.
In
summary,
" S
- Earlier Harvest - Roasting and drying are done
simultaneously.
- Higher Digestibility -10% more available energy.
- Purer Feed - Removes molds and reduces toxins.
~ Drier Total Ration - Better Rumen Health.
~ Greater Profits - Advance two to eight lb. per cow in
milk with improved fat and protein.
SCHNUPP’S GRAIN ROASTING, INC.
416 Union Rd., Lebanon, PA 17046
(717) 865-6611 800-452-4004
David N. Groff
RD 3, Lewisburg, PA(S7O) 568-1420
Custom Fabrication of Galvanized Barn Equipment
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 9,2002-A35
“the keys to an effective vaccina
tion program are good nutrition
and a good parasite control pro
gram,” he said.
Parasitism costs producers
(Turn to Page A 36)
At left, Les Choromanski, Intervet,
and Arlen Mills, Penn State extension
veterinarian, were presenters at several
herd health seminars conducted this
week.