15/06/2026
XLVets, in collaboration with HIPRA, recently published a paper titled “Evolution of Bovine Herpesvirus-1 infection prevalence and infection dynamics in Irish dairy herds following an IBR hyperimmunisation vaccination protocol”.
Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), the causative agent of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), remains endemic across Irish dairy herds. Although vaccine uptake is relatively high at approximately 73% of dairy herds, recent analyses by Jonas Brock and Maria Guelbenzu of Animal Health Ireland (Veterinary Ireland Journal -June 2025) indicate that herd-level seroprevalence remains persistently elevated. This highlights a key limitation of conventional vaccination approaches, which, while effective at reducing clinical signs, may not adequately suppress viral circulation within herds.
The production and economic consequences of subclinical BoHV-1 infection are well established. Work by Ríona Sayers of Teagasc (Journal of Dairy Science – February 2017) demonstrated that seropositive herds experience negative impacts on efficiency and overall profitability, including average milk yield reductions of approximately 250 litres per cow per lactation. These findings emphasise the importance of targeting infection dynamics and transmission, rather than focusing solely on clinical disease prevention.
Hiprabovis IBR Marker Live represents a distinct evolution in IBR vaccination. Its thymidine kinase (tk) gene deletion, combined with a defined hyperimmunisation protocol—two initial doses administered three weeks apart followed by six-monthly boosters—is designed to induce high and sustained neutralising antibody titres. This, in turn, aims to prevent infection and break viral transmission within herds.
The paper, contributed to by XLVets members Tadhg Gavin, Killaloe Veterinary Clinic, John Quille, Castle Veterinary, David Mc Laughlin, Glasslyn Vet Clinic, Chris Mc Grath, Comeragh Veterinary, Declan Gordon, Glenamaddy and Dunmore Vet Clinics and Patrick Clerkin, Clerkin Veterinary Hospitals was produced as a result of a collaborative field study, to evaluate the effectiveness of this protocol under Irish commercial dairy conditions
The full paper is available to view at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13620-025-00328-w
