ABSTRACT
Digital dermatitis is a major cause of lameness in many dairy herds and represents a detriment to milk production, reproductive efficiency, productive lifespan and welfare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic use of a Serpens species bacterin in a dairy herd known to have a significant prevalence of lameness due to digital dermatitis. Seventy-six mature lactating Holsteins were enrolled in this study. Group 1 (n=38) received three injections of a Serpens species bacterin at four-week intervals (weeks 0, 4, and 8) while group 2 (n=38) received only adjuvant. Blood samples were obtained prior to the first injection at week 0 and again at week 12 to evaluate antibody responses. Locomotion and digital dermatitis lesion measurements were performed at weeks 0, 12 and 18. Although Serpens-associated antibody titers increased from week 0 to 12 in vaccinated cows; the prevalence of digital dermatitis, the percentage of cows identified as clinically lame and the average width of digital dermatitis lesions did not differ from week 0 to 12 or from week 0 to 18 between groups. The results of this study indicate a lack of any clinical efficacy associated with vaccination in this herd, although inoculation with the bacterin did stimulate a measurable antibody response.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Vaccines/immunology , Cattle Diseases/prevention & control , Dermatitis/veterinary , Foot Diseases/veterinary , Pseudomonadaceae/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Cattle , Dermatitis/prevention & control , Double-Blind Method , Female , Foot Diseases/prevention & controlABSTRACT
This study evaluated the efficacy of two different doses of amprolium in goats heavily infected with pathogenic Eimeria species. Forty Boer goat kids ranging from 3 to 5 months of age with naturally occurring coccidiosis were randomly divided into 2 groups and treated orally with amprolium at doses of 10mg/kg daily for 5 days (n=20) or 50mg/kg daily for 5 days (n=20). The Eimeria oocyst per gram concentrations were significantly reduced on day 7 in the kids that received amprolium at 50mg/kg, however oocyst concentrations were not significantly reduced in goats that received the 10mg/kg dose. Out of 100 Eimeria oocysts identified from a pooled fecal sample, E. christenseni was the most frequently identified (52%) coccidial species present. The results of this trial indicate that amprolium can be an effective treatment for pathogenic Eimeria species in goat kids, however higher and extralabel doses (50mg/kg) should be used.
