Field study of bovine coronavirus vaccine enriched with hemagglutinating antigen for winter dysentery in dairy cows.

A field study of a vaccine; prepared by solubilizing cells infected with bovine coronavirus, Triton X-100, and mixing with an oil adjuvant, was performed at 9 farms over 4 prefectures. The cattle tested were Holstein dairy cows aged 2 to 10 years. A vaccination group consisted of 157 animals (including 132 pregnant cows) and a non-vaccinated control group consisted of 50 animals. The cows received 2 intramuscular injections of vaccine (2 mL) at 3-week intervals. Vaccinated cows did not develop abnormalities, such as a decrease in milk production volume, and all pregnant animals calved normally. The geometric mean of the hemagglutination inhibition antibody titer was 34.2 before vaccination in test cows. The titer had increased to 105.6, 3 weeks after the 1st injection and peaked at 755.6, 1 month after the 2nd injection. A high antibody titer persisted at 396.0; 241.0; and 201.5, at 3, 6, and 9 months after the 2nd injection, respectively. This confirms the safety and high antibody-response induced by this prototype vaccine. Therefore, this vaccine may be useful for the prevention of winter dysentery caused by bovine coronavirus infection.