04/11/08
Fort Dodge, a leading supplier of Bluetongue vaccine in continental Europe, has made available to Scottish farmers its’ newly UK licensed cattle vaccine. Called Zulvac 8® Bovis vaccine, its flexible presentation has the potential to offer real cost benefits, says the company.
Approved by the VMD with a Provisional Marketing Authorisation, Zulvac 8® Bovis is available in 50 dose and 10 dose packs. “While the vaccine is not supported by Scottish Government funding, its availability in both these presentations will make it more financially competitive for many farmers by avoiding waste incurred with large pack sizes,” says Fort Dodge UK’s Andrew Wylie.
“This benefit will be passed on to all those with cattle numbers that are not multiples of 100. For example, a farmer with 150 cattle will find it 15% lower cost per dose to buy three, 50 dose packs plus of Zulvac 8® Bovis, compared with two, 100 dose packs of the EU funded vaccine and wasting 50 doses. While some vets may offer to split the 100 dose packs as appropriate between farmers, they may find it impractical – the vaccine has an in use shelf life of only eight hours.”
As with all bluetongue vaccines, there is no information yet on the compatibility of Zulvac 8 Bovis with other vaccines.
Zulvac 8® Bovis is licensed for cattle only and is administered in 2 x 2ml doses at three week intervals given by intra muscular injection. The product is supported by a fixed 2ml multidose applicator with Sterimatic needle protector and cleaning system to ensure accurate dosing and hygienic conditions. Zulvac 8® Bovis will require veterinary prescription and farmers can administer the vaccine to their cattle.
Mr Wylie adds: “Now that the Scottish compulsory vaccination programme has commenced this week, we believe Zulvac 8® Bovis will have particular financial benefits for Scottish farmers. The vaccine’s flexible presentation is a major differentiator and it is, of course, also supported by the experience gained in Europe with millions of animals already vaccinated.” He added: “We’re pleased that the VMD has authorised the vaccine and believe its availability will play a key role in providing lower cost protection to Scottish cattle from this dreadful disease.”
Fort Dodge is the world’s leading veterinary vaccine manufacturer and has been at the forefront of Bluetongue vaccine development. The company has won and met tenders from several European governments, including those of France, Spain, Italy, Portugal Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Czech Republic for its Zulvac 8® Bovis vaccine and is the only international company to have produced vaccines for all the most commonly occurring serotypes of the disease including 8, 4 and 1.
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