62 | Bovine Viral Diarrhoea vaccine on way AgriHealth is developing a vaccine for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). Nicki Woodlock AgriHealth is dedicated to enhancing herd health and productivity across New Zealand. Partnering with vets and farmers, they distribute leading veterinary medicines - rigorously tested under New Zealand’s demanding farming conditions - and tailor them to meet local needs. As New Zealand’s largest locally owned veterinary pharmaceutical company, AgriHealth is committed to supporting Kiwi farmers for the long haul—ensuring a sustainable future for farming in Aotearoa. AgriHealth offers a comprehensive range of products across key areas including reproductive solutions, livestock vaccines, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), mastitis diagnostics and treatments, metabolic support, probiotics and enzymes, as well as medicated feed additives. Each year, AgriHealth reinvests 10–15% of its revenue into developing new products tailored specifically for New Zealand farming conditions. Onfarm needs drive their innovation process, with solutions being created or sourced from the best global partners. AgriHealth Innovations, a dedicated division of AgriHealth established in 2020 and led by Head of Innovation Richard Emslie, is a compact team of four, with a dedicated laboratory and in-house formulation expertise, focused on R&D. Their work includes developing locally tailored products, pioneering novel drug programs, creating new packaging formats, and enhancing drug delivery systems to better serve New Zealand farmers. “If it’s not going to make a difference on farms, RURAL SERVICES » AgriHealth NZ Ltd we’re not going to do it”, says Head of Innovation Richard Emslie. AgriHealth has also invested, and holds a 50% stake, in the biotech company Welfare Concepts - co-founded and led by Richard Emslie and Richard Olde Riekerink. Dedicated to advancing veterinary medicine, Welfare Concepts is focused on pioneering solutions that prioritise the health and welfare of dairy cattle. Together, AgriHealth and Welfare Concepts, design, develop, and manufacture proprietary veterinary medicines and solutions uniquely suited to New Zealand’s farming environment. AgriHealth is developing a groundbreaking modified live virus vaccine for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries. This marks the first-ever initiative to create a BVD vaccine specifically targeting New Zealand strains of the virus. The project has received $330,000 in government funding, alongside a $600,000 investment from AgriHealth NZ Ltd. Designed to protect pregnant cows and their unborn calves, along with the rest of the herd, the vaccine is projected to be available within the next four to five years. Richard states: “We partner with local universities, research organisations, and manufacturing companies. Relationships are our strengths here. We’re developing the skills and knowledge in New Zealand so it doesn’t have to go offshore. Otago University and Massey University have expertise, which complements our inhouse formulation expert”. One of Welfare Concepts innovative world-first treatments that is currently under development is a painfree alternative to disbudding in calves. The sterile pharmaceutical injectable removes the need for invasive painful disbudding methods and post disbudding care. With an extensive veterinary drug development and approval process the injectable is about 2-3 years away from being released in the market - with New Zealand set to receive this product before anyone else in the world. “We try to work with small to medium veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturing companies across the world so that we can ensure continuity of supply”, says Richard. Looking ahead, both AgriHealth and Welfare Concepts are focused on developing pharmaceutical solutions that address a wide range of animal health challenges - including pain management, animal welfare, disease prevention and treatment, on-farm sustainability, and reducing waste. With a strong commitment to local innovation, the two companies are currently working on 12 different products designed specifically to meet the needs of New Zealand farmers. Want to see what’s coming next? Thanks to you, we can keep innovating! At AgriHealth, innovationmeans putting NewZealand first Every product you use helps fund the future. We reinvest over 10% of our revenue into new vet medicines designed for tough New Zealand farming conditions. Our innovations team is tasked with solving real problems on real kiwi farms utilising their kiwi drive and ingenuity – not just today, but also for tomorrow. Evidence based vet medicines 0800 821 421 www.agrihealth.co.nz Stay in the loop with AgriNews, our farmer newsletter full of insights, updates, and tools to help you farm now and into the future. Scan the QR code to sign-up. AH-IP-WFP.25
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