Does vaccination equal immunization? How do animals develop immunity? What challenges do animals encounter when trying to develop adequate immune response? These questions come up occasionally as dairy producers are working with their herd veterinarian to develop a herd health protocol. Let’s start by going over some immunology basics. Vaccination does not equal immunization.

The economic value of a cow is maximized when she has an easy calving and encounters no obstacles to realizing her genetic milk production potential. Unfortunately, the time around calving can be hazardous to a cow’s health. Management of the dry cow is critical to avoiding diseases around calving that affect the lactation and thus have a major economic impact.

Leptospirosis is a disease that can impact the bottom line of every dairy producer, mainly through lost reproductive efficiency. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects mammals worldwide. The definition of a zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people. Leptospires are gram-negative bacteria that can survive for considerable periods of time in moist soil or standing water. Warm, moist conditions are ideal for the spread of leptospirosis.