Prevention of experimental bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis with an extract of Pasteurella haemolytica

A total of 36 calves were used in three experiments to test the efficacy of a potassium thiocyanate extract of Pasteurella haemolytica in protecting against experimental pneumonia. In each of experiments A and B, 12 calves were divided into three equal groups. The first group was vaccinated with an aerosol of a potassium thiocyanate extract twice, two weeks apart; the second group was vaccinated subcutaneously once only with the same extract. The third group of calves in both experiments remained as unvaccinated controls. In experiment C, six calves were vaccinated intramuscularly and six were left as controls. Approximately one month after vaccination all calves were challenged with an aerosol of bovine herpesvirus 1 (isolate 108) followed in 4 d by an aerosol of P. haemolytica type A1 (the same strain from which the potassium thiocyanate extract had been made). Varying degrees of protection against subsequent development of experimental pneumonic pasteurellosis in cattle were seen in vaccinated calves as compared to control calves in these experiments. The results indicate that protection of cattle against pneumonic pasteurellosis may prove possible with a sub-cellular extract of P. haemolytica.