New Lepto vaccine sourced by Glanbia Ireland

In conjunction with Co-op Animal Health, Glanbia Ireland has sourced and licensed a new Leptospirosis vaccine to meet the needs of herdowners following the poor availability of other Lepto vaccines this spring.

Glanbia Vet, Shane McElroy, has verified that the ‘Biobos L’ product meets the same quality, efficacy and safety standards as the other two Leptospirosis vaccines in use. It will deliver the same requirements for animal protection as the other vaccines. 

This vaccine has been licensed and used in other EU countries for many years, but has never been used in Ireland, mainly due to the availability of other Lepto vaccines. 

Bioveta, the manufacturer of the BioBos L product, is a highly regarded pharmaceutical company based in the Czech Republic and contract manufactures vaccines and other medicines for other well-known pharmaceutical companies.

The timing of Lepto vaccination is different this year due to availability of the vaccine. Vet Shane McElroy explained that normally you would not choose to vaccinate the herd during breeding. He said the risks of this are minimal, and are by far outweighed by the benefit of having pregnancies protected throughout the summer from this highly prevalent disease. 

In addition, human health will unnecessarily be put at risk where disease protection by vaccination is allowed to lapse.

· Delaying Lepto vaccination until later in the year will leave more pregnancies at risk of leptospirosis infection.

· This will lead to early embryo loss or abortions during the summer, following Lepto infection which is picked up at grazing.

· Skipping Lepto vaccination altogether in 2019 will mean that animals are not protected for the next 12 months and then two shots will be required next year.

· Once the immunity from last year’s vaccine has worn off, farmers and farm staff will be at risk of contracting the disease from infected cow’s urine, especially in the milking parlour.

· The BioBos L product can be used in the same way, and will provide the same disease protection as the other two vaccines on the market.

·  A single shot of the BioBos L vaccine will be sufficient to boost the immunity of animals that have previously been vaccinated with either of the other vaccines.

· This can be given to animals during the breeding season so that pregnancies are protected and animal/human health is also safeguarded for the rest of the season.

· As with the other Lepto vaccines, heifers will need two doses, four weeks apart for their primary course, which should be carried out as soon as possible to protect their pregnancies.