• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

IBR vaccine for dairy herds developed

Our Bureau

PUNE, July 4

THE BAIF Development Research Foundation, a voluntary organisation involved in integrated rural development, has developed a vaccine, effective against Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) - an infection which is reported to have attacked over 30 per cent of the dairy herds across the country.

IBR disease is a reproductive problem in Western Countries known to cause abortion, repeated breeding and infertility and ultimately losses to dairy farmers.

According to an official release, the disease is suspected to have entered India with imported livestock. However, within 10 years of its appearance in India, about 30 per cent of the dairy herds, particularly crossbreds were found to be suffering from t he disease.

Faced with this problem, BAIF had approached the Ministry of Science and Technology and Department of Biotechnology, to provide financial support to take up the development of a diagnostic kit as well as an effective vaccine against IBR. The project was sanctioned in 1995.

By 1997-98, BAIF had developed a specific field diagnostic kit for identifying infected animals. The next step was to control the spread of the disease in other animals for which a vaccine was developed.

Field trials have revealed that after initial vaccination followed by a booster dose at the end of third month, animals develop good resistance against the disease. Studies have also indicated that the vaccine is effective and helpful in preventing sprea d of the disease in different species of livestock.

The IBR vaccine technology has been transferred by the National Research Development Corporation, New Delhi to the Pune-based Hoechst Roussel Veterinary Pvt Ltd for its commercial production through a leasing agreement. The vaccine is currently produced by Intervet, the release added.