Comparison of efficacy of various Mannheimia-Pasteurella vaccines against pneumonic pasteurellosis in young Holstein calves

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine if vaccination with a commercial Mannheimia-Pasteurella (M-P) vaccine is effective in reducing the incidence of respiratory disease and in improving average daily gain (ADG) in Holstein steers post-weaning. Pneumonic pasteurellosis is an economically important condition in cattle. In young cattle, Mannheimia haemolyticia and Pasteurella multocida are commonly cultured from cases of bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC); however, the nidus for colonization of the lower respiratory tract is not well understood. Stressors, such as, weaning, shipping, and weather changes have a strong correlation with colonization of the lower respiratory tract by these organisms. Protecting young, high risk cattle, such as Holstein steers, against respiratory insult from M. haemolyticia and P. multocida would be economically beneficial to the cattle industry. There are several commercially available vaccines available; however, their efficacy in this high risk population is not well known.