Pneumonia vaccines in cattle

An important part of the herd health plan is an effective vaccination strategy for common causes of pneumonia. To prevent respiratory disease, good management, appropriate building design and ventilation are also important.

Respiratory disease occurs when bacterial or viral agents (sometimes both simultaneously) are combined with poor air quality and ventilation, poor husbandry or stress. Calves are more susceptible than adult cattle.

Financial losses result from mortality, extra labour and treatment costs, but the greatest loss is from weight loss during illness and recovery. 

Vaccination is a cost effective tool to aid in the prevention of pneumonia.

Seventeen vaccines for pneumonia are licensed in the UK (updated September 2026):

• Bovalto Respi 3 contains inactivated M. haemolytica A1, inactivated Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses
• Bovalto Respi 4 contains inactivated M. haemolytica A1, inactivated Bovine respiratory syncytial, Parainfluenza 3 and BVD viruses
• Bovalto Respi Intranasal contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Parainfluenza 3 virus
• Bovilis Bovipast RSP contains inactivated M. haemolytica A1, inactivated Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses
• Bovilis® INtranasal RSP™ Live contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Parainfluenza 3 virus
• Bovilis ® Nasalgen-C contains modified live bovine coronavirus
• Hiprabovis SOMNI/Lkt contains inactivated M. haemolytica leukotoxoid and inactivated Histophilus somni
• NASYM contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus
• Pneumovac contains inactivated M. haemolytica A1, and inactivated Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses
• Pneumovac Plus contains inactivated M. haemolytica A1, inactivated Bovine respiratory syncytial, Parainfluenza 3 viruses and live BVD virus
• Rispoval 2 contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Parainfluenza 3 virus
• Rispoval 3 contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses and inactivated BVD virus
• Rispoval 4 contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses, and inactivated BVD and Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BVH-1) viruses
• Rispoval® Pasteurella contains inactivated M. haemolytica
• Rispoval RS contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (market authorisation expired in December 2025)
• Rispoval RS+PI3 Intranasal contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial and Parainfluenza 3 viruses
• Protivity contains modified live Mycoplasma bovis
• DIVENCE PENTA contains modified live Bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BVH-1) virus, and inactivated Parainfluenza 3 virus, and recombinant protein from BVD viruses type 1 and 2

Vaccines for Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) containing only Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) have not been included in the estimated uptake of vaccines targeted at calf pneumonia.

The uptake of vaccines for IBR has been estimated separately.

The figures used to monitor estimated vaccine uptake are the number of doses of selected vaccines authorised for use in cattle and sheep sold in the UK each year.

These are based on wholesaler data collated by Kynetec and provided by MSD Animal Health.

Numerator

The number of doses of vaccine administered has been calculated by multiplying the number of packs sold by the number of doses per pack.  

The recommended primary vaccination course for these vaccines was used to estimate the number of cattle vaccinated in each calendar year. 

Denominator

With these vaccines, the common industry practice is only to vaccinate animals in the first year of life. It was assumed that only animals under one year of age were vaccinated; the total population of cattle under one year of age was used as the denominator for the target population.  

Pneumonia vaccination estimated uptake has increased since 2011 and was estimated at 59% in 2025, demonstrating a significant increase compared to 2024 (Figure 1).

Estimated vaccine uptake is based on sales data of UK authorised vaccines and does not include imported vaccine data.

It is recognised that within this category, some cattle may receive more than one vaccine due to the different diseases which are covered, and so the estimated uptake may be an overestimate.

Figure 1. Percentage of cattle vaccinated against pneumonia 2011–2025