WITH the onset of recent wet weather across Queensland and consequent elevated risk of outbreaks of Three-Day sickness in cattle, attention is again focusing on the need for greater understanding of the disease and how it can best be managed.
Three-Day, or Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF), is regarded as second only to ticks and tick fever as a limitation on productivity in northern and Eastern Australian grazing regions. One assessment suggested the cost to industry was about $140 million each year.
During the past two years, severe and extensive outbreaks of BEF have occurred during summer across the north and extending as far as southern NSW. Some producers have reported unusually high rates of mortality.
The industry has revived calls for the creation of a research framework, to fill in many of the knowledge gaps that currently exist about BEF. These include:
- The incomplete understanding about its spread, the impact of weather and how it can best be managed in endemic and less susceptible areas.
- Surveys have shown mutation in strains of the BEF virus that some stakeholders believe are making current vaccines less effective. Current vaccines were developed on the basis of serological tests carried out in the 1970s, and it is suggested that the mutation in strains since that time have lowered the efficacy of vaccines.
- The need to develop multi-valent vaccines capable of responding to current strains present in the Australian environment.
- The need to develop a single-shot vaccine for BEF protection. The current vaccine requires a two-shot program, followed by annual boosters ? providing one of the biggest limitations to greater use in more extensive regions where it is prohibitive to re-assemble cattle twice and call in a vet over a short interval to administer the second shot.
Some critics suggest part of the problem, at least, with lack of performance in existing vaccines is through operator error - the lack of shelf-life of the existing vaccine, and the temptation to administer a single dose only, because of the difficulty and cost attached to re-assembly.
AgForce has been lobbying Meat and Livestock Australia, animal health companies and CSIRO to work in consultation to develop a program to address these and related issues. It is understood that negotiations with a major international pharmaceutical company over committing to the R&D work are now at an advanced stage, and an agreement could be announced shortly.
Australian Animal Health Laboratory research stream leader Dr Peter Walker said development of any improved single-shot, stable vaccine was likely to take some time, and was unlikely to be ready for commercial use next (summer) season.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for commercial companies in terms of making an R&D investment was the current lack of uptake seen in use of current BEF vaccines. Lobbyists argue, however, that uptake by producers (and consequent revenue to an animal health company responsible for producing an improved vaccine) would rise, if R&D effort could overcome the issues raised above.
AgForce has offered to assist animal health companies with access to its membership base, in order to carry out a thorough BEF vaccine user survey, to build a case for R&D investment to deliver the desired outcomes.
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