Farmers in NI can now buy a vaccine from their local vets to help prevent Cryptosporidiosis (Crypto) in young calves.

Manufactured by MSD Animal Health, Bovilis Cryptium can be administered at the same time (in a different site) as Bovilis Rotavec Corona, which covers the three other main scour causing agents – rotavirus, E. coli and coronavirus.

These vaccines should be given to dry cows between 12 and three weeks pre-calving.

However, unlike Rotavec, which is an annual single shot vaccine given into the muscle, Cryptium is a subcutaneous vaccine, with two doses required in the first year, administered four to five weeks apart.

Each dose of Cryptium is expected to be similar in price to a single dose of Rotavec.

Speaking at an event organised by Ballygawley Veterinary Centre (BVC farm vets) on Tuesday, MSD vet, Eleanor Brady described the new vaccine as a “game changer”, given that Crypto is the most common cause of scour in calves.

“There are long term effects from scour. You will get the best out of your calves if you prevent scour in the first place”, she said.

Scour is the biggest killer of calves up to one month of age and a calf that takes scour is 17 times more likely to develop pneumonia later in life.

However, for Cryptium to be effective, good colostrum management is vital and calves should be kept on transition milk for at least five days.

“The longer you feed, the better,” said Brady.