The first and only combination PRRS-Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) vaccine approved in the U.S. is now available to help swine producers better manage respiratory diseases as part of a customized program of whole herd health. FLEXMycoPRRS is the newest addition to the FLEX line of combination swine vaccines by Boehringer Ingelheim (BI).

FLEXMycoPRRS combines the efficacy of the world’s bestselling Mycoplasma and PRRS vaccines – Ingelvac MycoFLEX and Ingelvac PRRS MLV. Now one convenient, single dose provides safe, long-lasting protective immunity against two of the most common respiratory disease pathogens.

The new vaccine is ideal for use by swine producers who are looking to protect their entire flow – from growing pigs to the breeding herd, including mass vaccination of gilt and sow herds to control Mhp and PRRS infections. Safe for pregnant sows, FLEXMycoPRRS can be used in PRRS-positive or PRRS-stable sow herds looking to bolster PRRS protection.

Customized disease protection that best fits your farm

BI’s FLEX Family, a comprehensive line of products developed to protect against swine respiratory diseases, allows producers to choose the right protocol of monovalent and combination vaccines that best fits your farm.

“This kind of customized approach was also behind the development of FLEXMycoPRRS,” says Dr. Reid Philips, DVM, technical manager for Boehringer Ingelheim. “Producers told us they wanted a product like this to help generate immunity and protect both the breeding herd and growing pigs.”

PRRS and Mhp can have clinical impact at similar phases of production in your production system, he notes. “Co-infections involving PRRS and Mhp are also common and more costly than single infections, and they are often misdiagnosed, which complicates disease management. Vaccinating for both with a single dose helps the pig build an optimal immune response to pathogens that can negatively impact growth and performance.”

The Infection/Prevention Chain

FLEXMycoPRRS is not just a combination of antigens but a combination of disease management strategies and tactics, says Dr. Eduardo Fano, DVM, PhD, MS, technical manager for Boehringer Ingelheim. “It fits nicely into what we call the Infection/Prevention Chain – multi-phase intervention strategies (whole herd health approach) linked to disease events and potential transmission points that could occur throughout a swine operation’s production phases.”

Today’s larger, more complex farms and production systems require a different approach to disease control, Fano says. “We need to recognize the infection dynamics and the impact of disease through the production cycle, and develop holistic and customized prevention strategies. That’s why BI’s FLEX Family of products was developed.”

FLEXMycoPRRS is available in 50- and 250-dose presentations and is approved for pigs three weeks of age or older. For more information on FLEXMycoPRRS or about managing these diseases contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim representative or visit www.bi-vetmedica.com/species/swine/products/flex_vaccines.html.