Vaccination strategies for reducing clinical severity of coliform mastitis.

Brief history and extensive published field efficacy data of the two rough ("R") bacterial mutants utilized in commercial preparations of the core antigen bacterins Escherichia coli O111:B4 (strain J5) and Salmonella typhimurium Re-17 are summarized. Particular dosage schedules and routes of administration of coliform mastitis bacterins are compared for their associated ecacy. Practical concerns in employing a coliform mastitis vaccination program are discussed. Characteristics of farms using coliform mastitis vaccination and suggested guidelines for whether individual dairy herds should adopt this practice are presented for consideration.