Research is underway in New Zealand to create a new single-dose vaccine to prevent the spread of Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD).
BVD impacts around 80% of the country's dairy and beef herds.
"The existing vaccines are all from overseas, so this will be the first ever project to develop a vaccine specific to New Zealand strains of BVD," Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard said.
The new vaccine aims to stimulate a better immune response using a modified live virus, and will only require a single dose.
"The best thing about this project is it's being done by New Zealanders for New Zealand farmers. We're not importing technology or products from another part of the world – we're actually inventing something that's going to work for us, and I think that's really exciting," project lead John Moffat said.
"We've got universities, we've got production facilities, we've got agri-health companies all working collectively for an outcome that will benefit New Zealand farmers,."
Hoggard said the disease costs our farmers more than $150 million every year in direct production losses and $40 million in ongoing expenses from BVD control.
"If it's successful, it's a really good option for New Zealand farmers," Hoggard said.
It's hoped the immunisation will undergo trials in the next few years.
"It's a long-term project. Ideally, we'll have a product in the marketplace in 2028," Moffat said.
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