Vaccination of grazing calves with antigens from the intestinal membranes of Haemonchus contortus: effects against natural challenge with Haemonchus placei and Haemonchus similis

A vaccine containing integral membrane glycoproteins from the intestine of Haemonchus contortus was evaluated in three groups of eight 5months old grazing calves, naturally infected by Haemonchus similis, Haemonchus placei and other gastrointestinal nematodes. Vaccinated calves received 5 or 50μg of the antigen and 1mg of saponin adjuvant, while the controls received adjuvant alone, initially three times, 3weeks apart and then four more times at 6weeks intervals. Three weeks after the last immunisation all of the calves were euthanised for worm counts. Immunisation stimulated high titre antibodies against the vaccine antigens, reduced the egg output of Haemonchus spp. by 85% and the numbers of H. placei and H. similis by 63% and 32%, respectively, compared with control calves. It was concluded that vaccination with intestinal membrane glycoproteins from H. contortus could substantially reduce the transmission of H. placei and H. similis, thus providing protective benefit downstream. This appears to be the first known successful demonstration of a vaccine protective for cattle naturally exposed to infection with any gastrointestinal nematode parasite.