Prevalence of neutralizing antibody to the calf rotavirus in New York cattle

In March 1973, a modified live virus vaccine was released for sale in the United States for the protection of neonatal calves from infection with calf rotavirus. At that time no published evidence existed that this agent was present in New York or the New England states. Serum neutralizing antibodies for the calf rotavirus (reovirus-like agent of neonatal calf diarrhea) were detected in serum from 108 of 110 dairy cattle in New York State representing 78 different herds. To exclude the possibility that the demonstrated serologic response may have been stimulated by vaccine virus, 36 samples were included that had been collected prior to the date of vaccine release. Neutralizing antibodies were demonstrated in 108 of the 110 sera ranging from titers of 4 to greater than 1024, thereby offering indirect evidence of the ubiquitous nature of calf rotavirus in New York.