In April, HIPRA, together with local partner Agilis, marked a major milestone: the launch of UBAC®, HIPRA’s first ruminant vaccine registered in Australia. 

To introduce UBAC®, a targeted roadshow was conducted across Victoria, a key dairy region. Two in-person lunchtime sessions were held in the towns of Camperdown and Warragul, and one online session for the Tasmania region. These sessions engaged large-practice vets overseeing thousands of dairy cows in their routine work. The main sessions featured Wojciech Ptak (HIPRA Global Technical Manager) presenting the science behind UBAC® and the benefits of mastitis prevention, New Zealand veterinarian and dairy farmer Philippa Hodges sharing her practical field experiences with UBAC®, and Australian practitioner Peter De Garis highlighting the high prevalence of Streptococcus uberis—often over 30% in major regions of Australia.

Australia’s pasture model offers numerous advantages for dairy farming but comes with high mastitis pressure. Strep. uberis infections are widespread, difficult to treat, and increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Cure rates often fall below 50%, resulting in lost milk, time, and frustration for vets and farmers. 
 

Feedback from the roadshow was overwhelmingly positive. Vets welcomed UBAC®’s targeted approach, its potential to reduce antibiotic use, and the shift from reactive treatment to prevention. One vet summed it up:
 

“It’s exciting to have a vaccine developed specifically for what we’re dealing with in Australia right now.”
 

Another vet noted, 
 

“It’s promising to have a tool that works before cows get sick, not after.”
 

Additionally, a vet expressed interest in how UBAC® integrates into dry-off and transition strategies, while another highlighted the need for new tools in the face of rising resistance, stating: 
 

“UBAC® could be part of that shift.”

UBAC® is now part of the Australian veterinary toolbox – a strong step toward more effective mastitis control.