This initiative proposes to reduce the economic losses provoked by the Enzootic Bovine Leukosis in dairy farms, estimated in US$ 300 million in Argentina, 2,600 million in Latin America and 5,600 million when globally considered.

The development of a live attenuated vaccine already showed to be protective in vivo under productive conditions. This strategy will permit the significant reduction of the disease prevalence and will allow progressing to eradication after a complete generational change. The rationale behind this development is to control the disease without intercepting routine farm procedures.

Enzootic bovine leukosis is a silent disease of cattle, that affects health and production, and as a consequence, the economic yields of dairy farms. Because the majority of infections are asymptomatic, the economic impact is often undervalued or even unknown. The increasing demand of diagnostic analysis, the increasing prevalence of fatal tumors in lactating cows together with the lack of official control guidelines and measures, are enough to consider this disease as a subclinical threat for the productive dairy area. Together with brucellosis, tuberculosis, and hemoparasites (Babesia and Anaplasma), bovine leukosis is identified as a critical point for cattle health that means to be faced in terms of finally reach a productive improvement. Together with the advance in diagnostic technology, the construction of sanitary policies and prophylactic strategies are considered as key points. Recent economic studies in Argentina have identified a lost profit of about 5,000 USD per cow died with lymphosarcoma. This project will indagate the opportunity of using a live attenuated vaccine as a prophylactic alternative for regional control of this disease. As a secondary collateral effect, milk and meat will be provided to markets as “free of BLV,” which implies a benefit for the introduction in places worried about public health implications.

To improve the dairy primary sector productivity and access to new markets through collaborative actions, including classical and innovative technologies for the control of bovine leukosis. As a complementary effect, the links will be strengthened not only between institutional partners but also with the productive sector and the authorities aiming to advance towards the construction of adequate policies for bovine leucosis control. The final goal is to progress to a better position of the whole region in the global context.

Fourteen million dairy cattle between around 470,000 farmers, producing about 20,000 million liters of milk considering Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panamá. This is about 26% of whole Latin America and Caribe production (excludes Mexico and Brasil)