Effect of hyperimmunization with an Escherichia coli J5 bacterin in adult lactating dairy cows.

Objective: To determine the effect of hyperimmunization with an Escherichia coli J5 bacterin on serum IgG2 concentration, incidence of clinical mastitis, and rate of survival to the end of the lactation period (ie, day 305) in adult lactating dairy cattle.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Animals: 1,012 Holstein cows in their second lactation and greater.

Procedures: All cows were given 3 doses of the J5 bacterin; cows in the hyperimmunization group were given an additional 3 doses during the first 3 months of lactation. Blood was collected from a small sample of cows to determine anti-J5 IgG2 concentrations.

Results: Cows in the hyperimmunization group had higher mean serum anti-J5 IgG2 concentrations than did control cows 28 days after administration of the fourth, fifth, and sixth doses of the J5 bacterin. However, mean serum anti-J5 concentrations during the subsequent lactation were not significantly different between groups. The proportions of cows that developed clinical mastitis were not significantly different between groups. However, control cows were more likely to have severe clinical mastitis than were cows in the hyperimmunization group. The percentage of control cows that remained in the herd to day 305 was significantly lower than the percentage of cows in the hyperimmunization group that did.

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: Results suggested that hyperimmunization of mature lactating dairy cattle was associated with increased serum anti-J5 IgG2 concentrations and decreased incidence of severe clinical mastitis, but did not alter survival rate of cows that developed severe clinical mastitis.