Dr. Bobwealth Omontese from the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota presented data from a 1,360-calf study. The study was conducted in newborn Jersey and Jersey-cross dairy heifer calves being shipped from a nursery in Minnesota to a grower in New Mexico. Study coordinators hypothesized that the calves receiving the immunotherapy prior to their journey would have better health scores and a decreased incidence of disease.

In this study, newborn calves were divided into one of three groups: control, pre-shipment treatment or arrival treatment. All treatments were administered subcutaneously. Calves were health scored weekly based on nasal/ocular discharge, coughing, ear position, temperature, attitude and fecal consistency.

“The dairy operation involved in the study was very well-managed, so the overall number of disease treatment events was lower than the national average.” said Dr. Luciano Caixeta, Assistant Professor of Dairy Production Medicine at the University of Minnesota and Study Coordinator. “As a result, weekly health scores did not differ between the treatment and control group. However, the calves receiving the immunotherapy before transport had fewer treatments for pneumonia within the first 30 days of life.” The data from this study are being further analyzed and an economic analysis is being performed. Additional information will be available later this year.

Health and performance of pre-weaned dairy calves have great influence on adult life performance. Amongst the diseases that affect young dairy calves, diarrhea and pneumonia are the most prevalent and economically important.

Bovine Respiratory Disease complex (BRD) – which includes all diseases infecting the lower and upper respiratory tract, including pneumonia – can be caused by viral or bacterial pathogens. Environmental stressors are major drivers of the disease, and the risk of BRD among cattle is greatest during or soon after transportation. BRD is one of the most common and costly diseases affecting the cattle industry, and often involves treatment with antibiotics.

Amplimune is a potent immunomodulator that is an emulsion of mycobacterium cell wall fractions (MCWF). When injected into the animal, it enhances innate immunity to fight bacterial infections without the use of antibiotics. The product has received regulatory approval for the treatment of E. coli K99 scours (diarrhea) in both the U.S.A. (by USDA) and Canada (by CFIA). Amplimune is OMRI listed for use in organic production.

About the American Dairy Science Association

The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) is an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world's population.

About NovaVive Inc.

NovaVive is a private company founded in July, 2014. The Company has an advanced veterinary immunotherapeutic platform based on mycobacterium cell wall fraction (MCWF) technology with 5 regulator-approved products in the U.S.A. Certain MCWF formulations have demonstrated the capability of reducing the reliance on antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial diseases of horses and cattle or effectively treating viral equine respiratory disease. Other formulations have been developed as anticancer therapies in dogs and horses. The Company’s development plan is to identify additional livestock and companion animal diseases that may be effectively treated with its immunotherapeutic technology platform. For more information about the Company, please visit www.NovaVive.ca.