“DIVENCE® makes it possible to simplify the vaccination plan and health monitoring” 

Since October 2024, HIPRA Portugal has made available to the market DIVENCE, a range of vaccines covering the most relevant respiratory and reproductive viruses in cattle. It is the first multivalent vaccine to include a marker IBR virus. 
This range also allows the prevention of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) through an innovative recombinant protein-based approach against BVD virus, combining the benefits of both live and inactivated vaccines – and offering the added value of being the first marker vaccine worldwide for BVD. 

DIVENCE® PENTA has positioned itself in the market as a pentavalent vaccine, indicated for all animals, from calves to adults, across all production phases and physiological stages. It was the first marker (DIVA) vaccine for IBR, BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, enabling differentiation between animals infected with wild-type viruses and vaccinated animals, thus allowing improved control and monitoring of these two diseases at farm level. 

Another key point emphasized by HIPRA is the simplicity of the protocol: it starts in calves, with two doses given three weeks apart to achieve early respiratory protection. After an interval of up to 6 months, a third dose is administered prior to service to also achieve reproductive protection. From that point on, the vaccine is only given annually. 

We heard first-hand the experience of Isabel Maia Gonçalves, veterinarian and producer in Vila do Conde (Portugal). She has taken on the challenge of bringing her family’s farming business – passed down through generations – into the 21st century. Together with her husband, she manages a dairy farm with around 200 cattle, 110 of which are milking cows. 

Her goal is to maintain high standards of health and animal welfare, in order to maximise milk productivity. In 2024, according to official milk recording data, with an average of 2.4 lactations, they achieved 12,390 kg of milk at 305 days. 

Isabel applies her Veterinary Medicine training (2006, University of Porto) to implement the principles of Preventive Medicine, with the vaccination program as her main tool. 

Interview with Isabel Maia Gonçalves 

1. What “extra” benefit did DIVENCE® offer that made you start using it? 
My main objective was to simplify the vaccination plan and health monitoring by moving to an annual protocol, using a marker vaccine for two key agents: BVD and IBR. 

2. How has DIVENCE® changed the management of vaccination plans on your farm? 
Before DIVENCE® PENTA, I used HIPRABOVIS® Balance combined with HIPRABOVIS® IBR Marker Live. So, I switched to using only one vaccine, which is much easier to prepare than the previous combination. In addition, since vaccination is annual, the herd undergoes just one intervention per year. This frees up space in the vaccination calendar. In terms of impact, I have not observed any difference compared to the previous plan. Another advantage is that it still combines well with the intranasal vaccine NASYM, which I already use in newborn calves. 

3. What future possibilities do you see now that you are using the first multivalent marker vaccine against IBR and BVDV (types 1 and 2)? 
It gives me peace of mind, knowing I can monitor if any of my animals come into contact with these viruses. If I sell animals to other herds in the future, it also provides an added guarantee of their health status to the buyer. 

4. What would you say, in a few words, to someone hesitating to implement or recommend DIVENCE® to their clients (farms)? 
What works for me might not work on another farm. My testimony is based on what I have observed in my herd. My feedback is overwhelmingly positive. If I did not trust the quality of the vaccine, I would not have chosen it to protect my animals. I hope to continue protecting them for many years with this vaccination protocol. 

We thank Isabel Maia Gonçalves for taking the time to share her experience with us and wish her every success, both personally and professionally.