Intramammary vaccination and hyperimmunized colostrum as a prevention for scours caused by an antibiotic resistant E coli

Abstract

3 wk before calving, 3 cows were hyperimmunized against specific enteropathogenic serotypes of E. coli by the infusion into each quarter of 5 ml formalin-killed E. coli bacterin and a subcutaneous injection of 5 ml of the bacterin with adjuvant. All cows calved normally and had normal appearing colostrum. Of 11 calves born in an area in which calf scours were prevalent and given 3 half-gallon feeds of colostrum from the hyperimmunized cows, only 1 was lost due to scours.