ImmuCell has introduced First Defense Tri-Shield, a first-of-its-kind U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved scours preventative for all three primary scours-causing pathogens in newborn calves: rotavirus, coronavirus and K99+ Escherichia coli.

The new First Defense Tri-Shield combines the E. coli and coronavirus antibodies contained in ImmuCell’s legacy product, First Defense, with a guaranteed level of rotavirus antibodies, the company said.

“This is a game changer,” said Bobbi Brockmann, vice president of sales and marketing with ImmuCell. “First Defense Tri-Shield breaks the mold when it comes to scours protection, providing an alternative to the traditional calf- or dam-level vaccinations.”

Administered orally in a single-dose gel tube, First Defense Tri-Shield eliminates the need for calf- or dam-level scours vaccinations.

“No scour vaccine means the calf can save its energy for what’s important — growth — instead of diverting energy away to mount a vaccine immune response. Eliminating dam vaccination(s) means less stress on the cow, increases the response rate to critical vaccines and clears room in the vaccination schedule,” Brockmann said. “First Defense Tri-Shield offers the industry an opportunity to go Beyond Vaccination, providing a better way to protect calves from scours.”

One dose of First Defense Tri-Shield provides immediate immunity. There’s no need to stimulate an immune response or follow-up with annual boosters, ImmuCell said. All calves are protected equally with guaranteed antibody levels in every dose. And, the investment is made only in live-born, valued calves, as opposed to dam vaccines where the money needs to be spent before the calf is even born.