The first vaccine to protect sheep and cattle from disease caused by ten major strains of clostridial organisms has been launched by Schering-Plough Animal Health.
Covexin 10 is a highly potent, low dose clostridial vaccine that protects ruminant livestock against C. perfringens type A, C.perfringens type B, C.perfringens type C, C.perfringens type D, C.novyi type B, C.septicum, C.tetani, C.sordellii, C.haemolyticum and C.chauvoei.
Speaking at the press launch (Harefield, 25th September), independent veterinary surgeon Chris Lewis said the new vaccine was a significant and timely step forward in improving clostridial disease control in both sheep and cattle.
"In sheep, cases of lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney and black disease have been increasingly prevalent since the late 1990s. In addition, another particularly virulent clostridial pathogen - C.sordellii - has been formally recognised. It is now thought that C.sordellii is a significant cause of sudden death in housed, intensively creep fed lambs. And in the last month alone, C.sordellii has again been the focus of correspondence to the Veterinary Record where it has been identified as a cause of sudden death in ewes at lambing time," he said.
"At the same time, yet another nasty clostridum - C. perfringens type A - has also become increasingly associated with death in lambs," he added.
Speaking from a veterinary practitioner's perspective, Iain Carrington from Intake Veterinary Services Limited stressed that the broad range of clostridial pathogens were as much of a threat to cattle as they were to sheep.
"There was a time that clostridial disease control in cattle meant vaccinating your young stock against Blackleg at turnout, or discovering dead animals and then reacting with Blackleg vaccine," he said. "But over the last few years, I have seen an increased incidence of different clostridial diseases in far from typical circumstances.
"There are also a large number of cattle deaths going undiagnosed and it is likely that many are caused by clostridial species. As a result, we are now advising many of our clients to take a broader-spectrum vaccination approach to ensure adequate protection - not only of the cows themselves - but also their calves through good colostral transfer," he said.
Covexin 10 product manager Paul Niven from Schering-Plough Animal Health explained why the product had been developed.
"Covexin 10 has been developed in response to industry demands. The current vaccines do not protect livestock against the full range of clostridial pathogens that can infect sheep and cattle. In addition, sheep and cattle producers are increasingly demanding highly potent, low dose vaccines1 that deliver proven protection," he said.
"With this vaccine launch today, I am delighted to announce that these market demands have been met through excellence in vaccine research and manufacture. Covexin 10 is the output from a world class manufacturing plant now focusing solely on vaccine production."
The ubiquitous nature of clostridial bacteria and spores - including their presence in normal healthy animals - and the speed and unpredictability with which disease develops, means vaccination is the only realistic control option for these diseases.
"Covexin 10 takes the guesswork out of clostridial disease prevention," Paul Niven added. "A vaccine containing antigens for 10 clostridial diseases improves the product by offering more protection, whilst also reducing the risk of missing a potentially fatal fraction or clostridium that has gone undiagnosed in an area," he stressed.
Covexin 10 is a prescription-only medicine (POM). For further information on clostridial diseases in sheep and cattle, contact Schering-Plough Animal Health.
