Much-needed footrot vaccine ‘at least three years away’

[Pelican Press 0]

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Much-needed footrot vaccine ‘at least three years away’

A long-awaited custom footrot vaccine for sheep is likely to be at least three years away from hitting the market, according to one industry group gunning to get it back in farmers’ hands.

It has been nearly five years since *********** farmers have been able to access the Custom Footrot R-Pilus vaccine after its emergency management permit was cancelled by the *********** Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in 2020.

Farmers had used the custom vaccine for several years as a replacement for Coopers’ Footvax — a multi-serotype vaccine targeting 10 strains of footrot, which was banned by the APVMA in 2008.

The ban left sheep producers struggling to eradicate footrot in sheep by foot paring/foot bathing, antibiotic treatment under specific conditions and the culling of flocks under a destocking regime.

While Footvax returned to the market in 2020, industry argues limiting the number of serogroups results in a more targeted immune response.

WoolProducers Australia general manager Adam Dawes said the organisation had been “working tirelessly” since 2020 to explore ways to get the vaccine in use again and determined the “only way” would be via full product registration.

The organisation has been working with the University of Sydney, which owns the vaccine’s intellectual property, and Animal Health Australia, to try and register it with the APVMA.

The groups plan to release a report into their research in coming weeks, before doubling-down on efforts to register the vaccine and “identify the necessary funding arrangements and timeframes”.

“We have consistently found during the past three years that footrot always features within the top three health and ******** issues for woolgrowers,” Mr Dawes said.

“The report will give us clarity around the requirements for registration, it will allow us to find the right partners to get the vaccine back to growers.

“We still have at least another three years ahead of us before we obtain full registration of the custom vaccine.

“We still need to find the funds to support the research and registration process, however it’s reassuring to finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.”

Footrot is a highly contagious disease that attacks the feet of sheep causing severe lameness and loss of body condition.

It is prevalent in many countries around the world and, in Australia, the financial impact of the disease on the wool and livestock industry is estimated at $84 million a year.

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