The persistence of antibodies against Brucella ovis and Brucella abortus in rams following vaccination: A field study

Abstract

Extract

The vaccination of rams to control infectiousepididymitis caused by Brucella ovis has been widely practised in New Zealand during the last decade. The double immunization procedure, introduced for general use in 1957, consists of the simultaneous injection at different sites of a saline-in-oil suspension of killed Br. ovis organisms and Br. abortus strain 19 vaccine (Buddie, 1957, 1958). More recently, an immunization procedure without Br. abortus strain 19 vaccine, involving the administration of two inoculations of the Br. ovis vaccine at intervals of eight or 24 weeks has been described by Buddie (1962) and Buddie et al. (1963). This method was found to confer protection equivalent to that provided by the double immunization method. Of the two methods now available, the simultaneous procedure appears to be still the most widely favoured by field veterinarians.