Portable biosensor to estimatecolostrum intakeand toimprovevaccination effectivityand health in unweaned calves

Currentlytheunweaned calves with a good maternal immunity may be jeopardizedby the use of parenteral vaccines reducing their capacity to protect themselves against virus and bacterial infectionsin the most critical moment of their life. Therefore, it is important to be able to detect the level of maternal immunity to protect those calves. The present project based on promising results of previous SAFECALF (PID2019-104021RB-I00)aims to design a biosensorto be used byproducersand veterinariansto optimizevaccination protocols based on theimmune status of unweanedcalvesat arrival. The primary outcome will be the increase of the efficacy of vaccinesincreasingthe health and welfare of the calvesreducing the disease incidence and antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistances. This project is intended to develop a useful tool for the development of the primary sector, a portable device such as this will allow them to carry out rational decisions not only saving antimicrobials, while also saving time, saving money and gaining competitiveness and professionalising the beef sector.