Effects of various vaccination protocols on passive and active immunity to Pasteurella haemolytica and Haemophilus somnus in beef calves.

Two field trials were conducted in a beef cow herd in Saskatchewan to determine the effectiveness of a combined Pasteurella haemolytica and Haemophilus somnus vaccine in increasing passively and actively acquired antibodies in beef calves. Vaccination of dams at 4 and/or 7 weeks prepartum was associated with increased antibody titers to P. haemolytica and H. somnus in their serum (P < 0.05), colostrum(P < 0.05), and serum of their calves at 3 days and 1 month of age (P < 0.05). There was no significant(P > 0.05) difference in antibody titers in the colostrum and serum of calves from single or double vaccinated dams. Calves vaccinated at 1 and 2 months of age in the face of maternal antibodies toP. haemolytica and H. somnus had significantly(P < 0.05) higher antibodies to P. haemolytica and H. somnus at 4 and 6 months of age than did unvaccinated calves. Calves vaccinated at 3 and 4 months of age in the face of low levels of preexisting antibodies had significantly (P < 0.05) higher antibodies toP. haemolytica at 5 months of age and to H. somnus at 5 and 6 months of age than did unvaccinated calves. Calves vaccinated once at 4 months of age had significantly(P < 0.05) higher antibody titers toP. haemolytica and H. somnus at 4.5 months of age than did unvaccinated calves, but this difference was not apparent at 6 months of age. These results suggest that vaccination of beef cows with a combined Pasteurella haemolytica and Haemophilus somnus vaccine once at 4 weeks prepartum will significantly (P < 0.05) increase passive antibody titers toP. haemolytica and H. somnus in their calves. Double vaccination of calves with preexisting maternal antibodies at 1 and 2 months of age will increase antibody titers to P. haemolytica and H. somnus until 6 months of age. Vaccination of beef calves with low levels of preexisting antibody at 3 and 4 months of age will increase antibody titers to H. somnus until 6 months of age and to P. haemolytica until 5 months of age.However, the level of antibodies achieved by vaccination may depend on the calves being studied, the level of preexisting antibodies, and the efficiency of passive transfer.