Campyvax4®

Sheep

Product class

Campyvax4® - Product Overview

Ewe with twins

The reproductive performance of any sheep farmer's flock is now undeniably recognised as the one of the most important factors in determining flock profitability. Between 3% and 5% of sheep flocks nationwide will experience an abortion outbreak in any one year. While some flocks may only incur low losses, the introduction of an infectious agent to naive sheep may induce an abortion storm with a large percentage of ewes aborting. 

In New Zealand, Campylobacter species are the most common infectious agents causing abortion in our sheep flocks. In 2004, 41% of sheep abortions diagnosed by veterinary pathology labs were attributed to Campylobacter disease.

New Zealand sheep farmers have been confronted by the disease Campylobacteriosis ever since intensive farming methods began. Previously known as Vibriosis, the disease was first recognised in 1913. Today it still remains the most often diagnosed cause of infectious abortion in ewes, frequently overlooked as the cause of perinatal loss
of lambs, notwithstanding: 

  • a well established recognition of the disease
  • the emergence of other significant causes for abortion 
  • many years of vaccine use.        

In a Campylobacter abortion storm, a worst case scenario could result in losses of up to 30% of the anticipated lambs to be tailed. In a two thousand ewe flock with a lambing percentage of 120%, an abortion storm of this size could result in around $43,000 of lost revenue. 

The major cause of Campylobacter abortions is Campylobacter fetus fetus for which vaccination strategies have been available for more than 20 years. However, abortions caused by C. fetus fetus are not the whole story: 

  • Between 1999 and 2004, 30% of Campylobacter isolates from sheep abortions were diagnosed as species other than Campylobacter fetus fetus. 
  • Diagnostic reports confirm that the majority of these other species is Campylobacter jejuni.*          

Campyvax4® is the only vaccine that gives defence against both Campylobacter fetus fetus and Campylobacter jejuni.

The Benefits of Campyvax4®

  • The first and only vaccine available to aid in protection against Campylobacter jejuni. 
  • Superior DEAE Dextran adjuvant boosts antibody responses significantly above that of any competitive product. 
  • Broader antibody immunity against Campylobacter fetus fetus field strains and now C. jejuni. 
  • Protects against abortion storms capable of inflicting lamb losses of up to 30%. 
  • Protection against unseen losses from scanning to tailing. 
  • The only vaccine with a specific claim for protection against perinatal loss of weak/non-viable live lambs.          

Campyvax4® is the only vaccine available for sheep which contains Campylobacter jejuni.

*Surveillance 31(4) 2004, 30(4) 2003, 29 (4)2002, 29(1) 2002, 28(4)2001, 27(4) 2000.

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No.A9535.

Prescription Animal Remedy (P.A.R.) Class 1 for use only under the authority or prescription of a veterinarian. Registered to Intervet Ltd, 12 Shakespeare Ave, Upper Hutt. See www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/ for registration conditions