Farmscape for March 11, 2021

Scientists with VIDO-InterVac have shown the delivery of vaccines into the uterus of sows and gilts to be an effective option for protecting their piglets from Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus.
Researchers with Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan are evaluating the delivery of intrauterine vaccines administered to sows and gilts with the semen during artificial insemination to protect the piglet from disease.
Dr. Heather Wilson, a research scientist with VIDO-InterVac, says after three trials scientists have gotten nice neutralising antibodies in the colostrum and some disease protection for piglets exposed to Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus.

Clip-Dr. Heather Wilson-VIDO-InterVac:
We try to combine our research to find ways that actually work with the current husbandry.
We know that the sows and gilts get inseminated about two and a half times a year it works out to, which is actually a really nice spacing for vaccination.
You vaccinate once and then boost about four months later, which is excellent.
We know that there is an immune response in the uterus.
It's normal and natural to have an immune response to semen actually so it wasn't will it work?
It was how well will it work so we gave it a try and we're actually very happy with the results so far.
We're getting a good vaccine response, we're showing passive protection to the piglets, we're showing neutralizing antibodies in the colostrum and now we just need to play with the adjuvants, which are vaccine components, so we can get an even better response and being very cognisant that we're not affecting sperm function for fertility at all, so just making it a little bit stronger and 100 percent protecting those piglets would be our goal.

Dr. Wilson notes, with most vaccines, you need a booster before you get a really good vaccine response, which means that we're expecting to protect the piglets against PED virus in the second pregnancy.
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Bruce Cochrane.

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