Elanco launches first veterinary immune restorative for dairy cows
A new, first-of-its-kind product set to revolutionise the way the profession addresses transition disease, with the potential to help reduce antibiotic usage.
During The Vital 90 DaysTM – 60 days before to 30 days after calving – dairy cows experience a dip in their natural immunity, leaving them especially vulnerable to important diseases such as mastitis, metritis and retained placenta. With serious cost consequences and implications for cow welfare and productivity, this makes the transition period one of the most challenging yet vital periods for vets to manage with dairy clients.
Developed by Elanco Animal Health, ImrestorTM (pegbovigrastim injection)effectively aids in restoring the cow’s natural defences by increasing the number and restoring the function of neutrophils, the primary type of white blood cell that recognizes and kills harmful bacteria.
Fiona Anderson, Technical Vet at Elanco, explains the importance of adopting a preventative approach to the calving period: “It’s no secret that a successful transition period is vital for maximising productivity in the next lactation, yet we are still ‘firefighting’ common transition diseases like mastitis rather than focusing on their true cause.”
“Vets are under increasing pressure to adopt a more proactive approach, not least to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock but with few credible alternatives. This can be challenging in dairy herds, particularly around calving when cows are susceptible to multiple disease challenges while their defences are low. Imrestor helps to restore a cow’s own natural immunity and strengthen her ability to defend against infection by a range of mastitis pathogens – thus helping to protect the cow against mastitis when she needs it most.”
Available in pre-filled, single-dose syringes, Imrestor is administered with two injections – one seven days prior to the anticipated date of calving and the other within 24 hours after calving – with neither injection requiring a withdrawal period.
Kingsley Baxendale, Ruminant Marketing Manager at Elanco Animal Health describes Imrestor as a revolutionary new approach to transition disease prevention; providing vets the opportunity to equip their farmers with a proactive solution that delivers.
“It can be extremely frustrating for vets to see their dairy farmers struggling with the stress and hassle of dealing with increased numbers of sick cows during calving; they have enough to deal with at the moment. We’re delighted that Imrestor can provide vets with a tool to help decrease the negative consequences associated with immune-related diseases like mastitis and maximise their herds’ lactation potential.”
Pledge To Protect
Industry leaders came together to celebrate the launch of Imrestor and hear from global experts on the topic of immune suppression at an exclusive event in Lancashire. During the event, Elanco’s ‘Pledge To Protect’ initiative was unveiled, encouraging vets and farmers to make a pledge symbolising their commitment to address immune suppression in their dairy cows.
The number of pledges will be tracked using a life-sized 2D cow model, fondly dubbed ‘Pledge Cow’. For each pledge, which can be made online or at events, Elanco will make a £5 donation to The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I), which supports farmers in difficulty. As a thank you for showing support, all pledgers will automatically be entered into a weekly prize draw.
On July 3, Pledge Cow made her second public appearance at WBC, the world’s premier Cattle Health Congress in Dublin Ireland, where Elanco increased the value of each pledge to 10 euros, donating to both R.A.B.I and Heifer International - a charity committed to ending hunger and poverty through strengthening local economies.
Imrestor is now available, by veterinary prescription only. To find out more about using Imrestor to benefit your clients’ herds and for details about how you can make your pledge, please visit www.vital90days.co.uk and join the conversation using #PledgeToProtect on Twitter and Facebook.
