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Title: THE EFFECTS OF BOOSTER VACCINATION WITH A MULTIVALENT CLOSTRIDIAL BACTERIA-TOXOID ON SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME MORTALITY RATE AMONG FEEDLOT CATTLE AT A NEBRASKA FEEDLOT

Author
item DEGROOT, B - UN-L GPVEC
item DEWEY, CATHERINE - UN-L GPVEC
item GRIFFIN, DEE - UN-L GPVEC
item PERINO, LOUIS - UN-L GPVEC
item MOXLEY, RODNEY - UN-L
item Hahn, George

Submitted to: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A field trial involving more than 80,000 cattle was conducted to assess the effects of a multivalant clostridial vaccine booster on subsequent sudden death syndrome (SDS) losses in a Nebraska feedlot. No significant differences were observed in SDS mortalities between the booster vaccine and control groups. Implications are that the booster vaccine was not harmful in terms of mortality, but it also was not sufficiently beneficial for reducing SDS losses to justify the associated costs.

Technical Abstract: An evaluation was conducted to assess the effect of a booster of multivalent clostridial vaccine on subsequent sudden death syndrome (SDS) losses in a Nebraska feedlot. The field trial involving 83,107 cattle was conducted during 1993-94. Treated cattle were administered the 2 ml dose of vaccine at time of growth promotant reimplant (approximately 90 days prior to slaughter). There were no statistically significant differences between the booster vaccine and control groups on the basis of crude mortalities, home feeding pen mortalities, or SDS mortalities during the post-reimplant period. Effects as small as 30% in either direction from the baseline mortality rate of 0.24% in controls (i.e., 0.24 ñ 0.075%) were detectable with 95% certainty and 80% power. Implications are that the booster vaccine was not harmful in terms of mortality, but it also was not sufficiently beneficial for reducing SDS losses to justify the associated costs.