Indian Immunologicals Unveils IBR Vaccine for Cattle Health

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has introduced a gE-deleted DIVA marker vaccine for IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis), which is India's first indigenous option for this endemic disease in cattle.

The IBR vaccine has been developed with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to assist in determining infected animals from vaccinated animals as part of the disease control strategy.

Speaking on the announcement, Dr K Anand Kumar, MD, Indian Immunologicals Ltd said, "We have come a long way in the field of Dairying, and our country now is the largest producer of milk in the world. However .... all these efforts could go in vain if the animals are infected with IBR virus."

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IBR is caused by Bovine Herpes Virus type 1 (BHV-1) and is a serious threat to productivity in livestock, resulting in abortions, infertility, and decreased milk production. The incidence rate is greater than 32 per cent across India and economic costs are estimated at around ?18,000 crores. For years there has been no effective targeted treatment for infected cows.

From an industry perspective, this is a milestone in the veterinary biotech revolution and in livestock health management in India. The IBR vaccine facilitates producers to move towards a preventive approach for herd biosecurity improvement and enhance productivity, which has been non-exclusive for producers until this time. Ultimately once broadly applied, this may initiate a pathway to increased domestic self-reliant animal health solutions and break the reliance on vaccine imports.