title: Field vaccination of sheep with bivalent modified-live vaccine against bluetongue virus serotypes 2 and 9: effect on milk production.
abstract: In response to complaints of the potential side-effects of the bivalent live-modified vaccine used to control the spread of bluetongue (BT) virus (BTV) serotypes 2 and 9 in Italy, a study was conducted to determine the effects of immunisation on milk production. Thirty-four Comisana cross-bred sheep were vaccinated with the bivalent BTV-2/BTV-9 modified-live vaccine produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products in South Africa; six animals served as unvaccinated controls. All animals were bled twice a week for two months and the presence and titres of BTV in the blood determined. The somatic cell count, pH, fat, protein and lactose content of the milk, as well as the quantity of the milk produced, were also measured. Vaccine virus was isolated from vaccinated animals between day 3 and day 20 post vaccination (pv) with peak titres observed on days 3 and 6 pv for BTV-2 and BTV-9, respectively. Milk production declined in the vaccinated group between days 8 and 14 pv, with the greatest decrease on day 9 pv. No differences were observed in the somatic cell count and pH, or in the milk fat, protein and lactose content.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, Via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facchinei
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salucci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cofini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Ventura