vaccinating sheep before lambing

jfh

hi lads,

just wondering if ye use covexin 8 or heptavac p?
and how many weeks before lambing? or would we be better of vaccinating the lambs after a month or so?
we always lose one or 2 lambs after a few months

thanks

Conmaicne Mara

Vaccinate before lambing!

I use Heptevac P +, the instructions say to use it between 4-6 weeks before lambing. I stay within that window.

It's very hard to sell all lambs born on the farm, I've done it a few years but not lately and that's with just a few sheep.

Says on the pack lambs can be vaccinated from three weeks of age, but remember they need two injections 4-6 weeks apart. My vet said NOT to vaccinate my LAMBS before they were 7 weeks of age as I vaccinate the ewes pre lambing.

Cran

Vaccinate always before lambing about 6 weeks, also body score and throw any thin ones in with triplets to be feed a bit extra. Use covexin 10 here

rancher

Cran wrote: »

Vaccinate always before lambing about 6 weeks, also body score and throw any thin ones in with triplets to be feed a bit extra. Use covexin 10 here

We're using covexin 10 here too.. have been getting a few cases of a disease that isn't covered by covexin 8 / heptavac, a ram that cost me €1300 in 2011 died from it 3 mths after I buying him,

DMAXMAN

we vaccinate approx. 4 weeks pre-lambing. also we find we have to vaccinate the lambs first shot beginning may( march born lambs) and second shot 4 weeks later as sheep around here seem to get pasturella pneumonia

Salmonman

jfh wrote: »

hi lads,

just wondering if ye use covexin 8 or heptavac p?
and how many weeks before lambing? or would we be better of vaccinating the lambs after a month or so?
we always lose one or 2 lambs after a few months

thanks

I always vaccinate the lamb when there 6-7 weeks.Used to vaccinate them twice a few weeks apart but this last 2 years have only given them one dose and hasn't done any harm

J.O. Farmer

Salmonman wrote: »

I always vaccinate the lamb when there 6-7 weeks.Used to vaccinate them twice a few weeks apart but this last 2 years have only given them one dose and hasn't done any harm

The first dose is the most important. It stimulates an initial immune response. This is a relatively slow and weak response to the clostridium in this case. The next time the animal encounters clostridium be it in the environment or because of the second dose of vaccine the immune response will be much quicker and stronger.
The reason for giving the second dose is to have already stimulated the second response before the animal encounters the clostridium in the environment.
On this basis what you're doing with only 1 dose is probably alright and we only give one dose too.
As con pointed out earlier if you vaccinate ewes before lambing be careful of doing lambs too quickly as the ewes immunity passed to the lamb through her milk will destroy the vaccine before the lambs immune response is stimulated.

Dickie10

Would I be shocking everyone to say I farm 80 ewes and don't vaccinate at all? to be honest I don't ever lose any after the first week of lambing, perhaps it could be the fact that we have good dry land ? i lost 1 lamb after 3 weeks last year due to being fostered but the ewe abandoned it

razor8

Dickie10 wrote: »

Would I be shocking everyone to say I farm 80 ewes and don't vaccinate at all? to be honest I don't ever lose any after the first week of lambing, perhaps it could be the fact that we have good dry land ? i lost 1 lamb after 3 weeks last year due to being fostered but the ewe abandoned it

I never did for years either then bang lost about 15 lambs in 2/3 week period a few years ago. I see it as an insurance policy rather than necessity. I still don't do lambs at all

J.O. Farmer

Dickie10 wrote: »

Would I be shocking everyone to say I farm 80 ewes and don't vaccinate at all? to be honest I don't ever lose any after the first week of lambing, perhaps it could be the fact that we have good dry land ? i lost 1 lamb after 3 weeks last year due to being fostered but the ewe abandoned it

We used to be the same but we always lost a couple of ewes for no apparent reason. Then 1 year about this time we lost a lot 5-6 in the space of half a week. The ewes were all about 2-3 years old and in good shape well dosed for fluke. Older shooker ewes were fine. I was embarresed and almost afraid going to the knackery with so many. Since then we vaccinate and have only lost the odd ewe normally from dead lambs in them.

Conmaicne Mara

Twice I delayed vaccinating lambs, once cos I thought I''d get away with it and once because I was a fuppin idiot, both times I lost two lambs.

AnFeirmeoir

I don't vaccinate.
I lose 2 or 3 lambs every year at around 14 weeks. I assume its pulpy or one of the diseases the vaccination would prevent. I was going to vaccinate ewes this year but i was thinking if o only have an issue with lambs, it would be cheaper to vaccinate all lambs and 4 and 8 weeks and forget about the ewes. Does this make any sense ?

Salmonman

AnFeirmeoir wrote: »

I don't vaccinate.
I lose 2 or 3 lambs every year at around 14 weeks. I assume its pulpy or one of the diseases the vaccination would prevent. I was going to vaccinate ewes this year but i was thinking if o only have an issue with lambs, it would be cheaper to vaccinate all lambs and 4 and 8 weeks and forget about the ewes. Does this make any sense ?

Even if you vaccinate ewes you still have to do lambs.
I think but don't quote me on it with covexin 8 if you have your ewes vaccinated you give lambs 5ml but if ewes aren't done you only need give lambs 2ml.Doesnt make much sense

Farrell

Salmonman wrote: »

Even if you vaccinate ewes you still have to do lambs.
I think but don't quote me on it with covexin 8 if you have your ewes vaccinated you give lambs 5ml but if ewes aren't done you only need give lambs 2ml.Doesnt make much sense

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

Salmonman

Farrell wrote: »

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

Don't know,never used it

J.O. Farmer

Farrell wrote: »

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

Covexin 8 and heptavac p are more or less the same thing in that they work the same way by stimulating an immune response.
If you vaccinate the ewes with either product the lambs will get protection through the mothers milk. The lambs will need to be injected at some point to continue protection.
If you inject too soon though the immunity from the milk will destroy the vaccine before the lambs own immunity is triggered.
I'm not sure how long after birth it's recommended to wait before vaccinating lambs from vaccinated ewes. It might be 8 weeks but somebody else might know better.
I think heptavac p covers pasteurella as well as clostridal diseases but other than that both products are pretty much the same thing.

J.O. Farmer

Farrell wrote: »

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

Covexin 8 and heptavac p are more or less the same thing in that they work the same way by stimulating an immune response.
If you vaccinate the ewes with either product the lambs will get protection through the mothers milk. The lambs will need to be injected at some point to continue protection.
If you inject too soon though the immunity from the milk will destroy the vaccine before the lambs own immunity is triggered.
I'm not sure how long after birth it's recommended to wait before vaccinating lambs from vaccinated ewes. It might be 8 weeks but somebody else might know better.
I think heptavac p covers pasteurella as well as clostridal diseases but other than that both products are pretty much the same thing.

J.O. Farmer

Farrell wrote: »

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

Covexin 8 and heptavac p are more or less the same thing in that they work the same way by stimulating an immune response.
If you vaccinate the ewes with either product the lambs will get protection through the mothers milk. The lambs will need to be injected at some point to continue protection.
If you inject too soon though the immunity from the milk will destroy the vaccine before the lambs own immunity is triggered.
I'm not sure how long after birth it's recommended to wait before vaccinating lambs from vaccinated ewes. It might be 8 weeks but somebody else might know better.
I think heptavac p covers pasteurella as well as clostridal diseases but other than that both products are pretty much the same thing.

Farrell

I only give inlamb ewes a shot 4-6 weeks before lambing, nothing else.
I was wondering if I should be doing better.
Thanks for that

Conmaicne Mara

Farrell wrote: »

Would you also have to inject lambs if you use heptavac p?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=88284784&postcount=2

Lambs from vaccinated ewes will need a starter two shot course (4-6 weeks apart for each shot) of Hep P+, but not until at least 7 weeks after birth or what's passed on from the ewe to the lamb will kill the vaccine you inject the lambs with.

So, yes, but don't start their course until 7 weeks after birth.

J.O. Farmer

Farrell wrote: »

I only give inlamb ewes a shot 4-6 weeks before lambing, nothing else.
I was wondering if I should be doing better.
Thanks for that

I think what your doing is correct and what we do ourselves. I think it's better to vaccinate the ewes before lambing for a couple of reasons.
1. The lambs will have immunity from birth through the mothers milk whereas you only vaccinate after the lambs are born protection will only come a couple of weeks later.
2. Unless you have large numbers of sheep you will end up only vaccinating all the lambs together so the oldest lambs will be at least a 2-3 weeks old and probably more.
3. Trying to do anything with ewes with young lambs is a pain as the lambs don't move right with the ewes.
4. You boost the ewes immunity admittedly more important for younger ewes.
5. 1 dose does the ewe and her lambs where if you have an average of say 1.5 lambs that 1.5 times the number of sheep to inject just to cover the lambs.

As con said if you want continued cover the lambs will need to be done after 7 weeks. We don't do that and I don't think we lose much because of it but some feel different. I would recommend doing any replacement ewe lambs in the autumn though.
A second dose is recommended for full protection and the reason for that is the first time an animal comes into contact with a pathogen the immune response is slow and weak and the second time it's fast and strong. The second dose is to stimulate the fast strong response and have antibodies circulating in the blood but we never bother with it and have never noticed a problem.

Farrell

Time flies!
Lambing earlier this year, going dosing shortly & will be giving shot of hep p.
Ewes are due in 5/6 weeks, but ewe lambs are due (hopefully) 5/6 weeks later.
Should I injectvewe lambs with thevsame time as ewes, or wait till 5/6 before they lamb or give 2 shots?
Would there be any harm in injecting ewe lambs which could prove not inlamb

rangler1

Farrell wrote: »

Time flies!
Lambing earlier this year, going dosing shortly & will be giving shot of hep p.
Ewes are due in 5/6 weeks, but ewe lambs are due (hopefully) 5/6 weeks later.
Should I injectvewe lambs with thevsame time as ewes, or wait till 5/6 before they lamb or give 2 shots?
Would there be any harm in injecting ewe lambs which could prove not inlamb

You're supposed to give two shots in the first year and one shot every year after.
10- 12 weeks is probably too far out form lambing to ensure protection if your only doing them once,
If you're doing them twice vaccinate the ewe lambs now and again in 4 -6 weeks to get proper immunity.
Vaccination protects the ewe and the lambs against chlostridials so its an advantage to vaccinate even if they're not inlamb

Farrell

rangler1 wrote: »

You're supposed to give two shots in the first year and one shot every year after.
10- 12 weeks is probably too far out form lambing to ensure protection if your only doing them once,
If you're doing them twice vaccinate the ewe lambs now and again in 4 -6 weeks to get proper immunity.
Vaccination protects the ewe and the lambs against chlostridials so its an advantage to vaccinate even if they're not inlamb

Thanks Rangler, I was thinking doing twice was best but afraid of over dose.

Nekarsulm

Farrell wrote: »

Time flies!
Lambing earlier this year, going dosing shortly & will be giving shot of hep p.
Ewes are due in 5/6 weeks, but ewe lambs are due (hopefully) 5/6 weeks later.
Should I injectvewe lambs with thevsame time as ewes, or wait till 5/6 before they lamb or give 2 shots?
Would there be any harm in injecting ewe lambs which could prove not inlamb

Going earlier for sure, Farrell! You're a glutton for punishment
Going scanning in the morning myself, so we'll see what's what!

Farrell

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Going earlier for sure, Farrell! You're a glutton for punishment
Going scanning in the morning myself, so we'll see what's what!

Na think that's the OH, she's to put up with me.
Aiming to have lambs gone for Easter (trial run), in aim of having more grass for cattle.
Time will tell.
Good luck with the scanning

sea12

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Going earlier for sure, Farrell! You're a glutton for punishment
Going scanning in the morning myself, so we'll see what's what!

How did you get on with the scanning after nek

Nekarsulm

scanned 162, 8 empty , 4 triplets, about 15 in lamb but too early to be sure of number. rest scanned 1.65

Nekarsulm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

scanned 162, 8 empty , 4 triplets, about 15 in lamb but too early to be sure of number. rest scanned 1.65

And two he is sure will abort .

Farrell

Nekarsulm wrote: »

And two he is sure will abort .

Not good.
What will you do with the trips, bottle/keep on ewe/ foster

Nekarsulm

I had one lassie reared a set this year, successfully. Defends what lambs around the same time. Try and foster one onto a single.

Bleating Lamb

Ewes will be lambing from mid March,intend vaccinating next wkd,think I used Covexin 10 last year.I forget what 'extra cover does' it give disease wise?

Country lad

I never vaccinate ewes either

Dickie10

ok im back with questions got a bad doing with lamb dysentry last year and am going to vaccinate all ewes and ewe lambs this year. my ewes are between 2 and 5 year old , what timeline of vaccincines should i do. they have never been vaccinated before. what timeline do i need ?

razor8

With heptavac it's 2 injections 6 weeks apart with last injection 4 weeks before they lamb so awhile yet if lambing mid season

Dickie10

grand

Sami23

What is peoples preference for vaccinating before lambing - Heptavac P Plus or Covexin 10 ?
Thinking of buying some from Agri Direct in their sale this weekend.
Only noticed today that you only need to give 1ml of Covexin compared to 2ml of Heptavac so Covexin is better value for money but cheapest is not always best as they say

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

What is peoples preference for vaccinating before lambing - Heptavac P Plus or Covexin 10 ?
Thinking of buying some from Agri Direct in their sale this weekend.
Only noticed today that you only need to give 1ml of Covexin compared to 2ml of Heptavac so Covexin is better value for money but cheapest is not always best as they say

I believe that resistance to Pasteurella pneumonia is important, it's a common enough thing in sheep at stress times at housing and autumn.
So we use heptavac P plus
Covexin 10 is a different product, it covers the same 8 diseases as heptavac P plus two more diseases that aren't common but doesn't cover pneumonia,
We got a bad enough outbreak of one of the rare diseases and changed to covexin for a few years but we also vaccinated as well for pneumonia separately
with Ovipast

clonagh

Was having a chat with a neighbour about vaccinating ewes before lambing. He vaccinates about 2 week before they lamb because he thinks the vaccine protection ends after 6 weeks from the injection and the last lambs born won't have any protection. I vaccinate about 6 weeks before they lamb on the understanding that the vaccinte needs time to get from the ewe to the lamb and protection doesn't drop after 6 weks. Are either of us right?

Dickie10

theres an old video on youtube on vaccinating lambs english made very good at explaing. pasive immunity gives about 8 weeks after lamb born

Kevhog1988

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118640211#Comment_118640211

The missus's best friend is a vet. Ill ask her now

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118642913#Comment_118642913

The advice is four to six weeks before lambing, I'd take it that two weeks is too little time for the vaccine to work in the ewe. we do them four weeks before lambing

Dickie10

i have hoggets lambing in 2 weeks but cant get any vaccines. only want 50ml bottle

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118826406#Comment_118826406

That's terrible, and to inject baby lambs doesn't really work until they're 3 weeks old,baby lambs are not able to respond to the vaccines/ develop antibodies until they're 3 wks.

You might get away with it though, some never vaccinate

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118640211#Comment_118640211

Vaccine doesn't drop after six weeks, a ewe in the heptavac system would peak immunity and stay up for a good while

Samuel323

You have to vaccinate the sheep 3-4 weeks before lambing.

k mac

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118826406#Comment_118826406

I have a 100ml bottle with about 80ml left you can have if its any use to you, i am in mayo don't know if it is any good for you to collect. Another thing is it was used a week ago and it says something on the box about being used within so many hours, don't know if that matters. Anyway you are welcome to it if any use

wrangler

If we were intending to keep a bottle, we'd use a clean needle to suck out of the bottle and seal it up again with clingfilm or candle wax when we'd be finished and the stored stuff always seemed to work

paddysdream

Anyone use the e coli vaccine for sheep ?Its called ecolibob (well thats how its sounds anyways ,spelling could be miles off )

Considered doing it here this year due to anti microbials (Enroxil ,Baytril )becoming restricted .Spectam gone off the market although never found it much use .Would have a few e coli lambs every year esp. coming to the end of lambing .Found Enroxil etc . excellent at curing them .

In the end didn't vaccinate .Friend who lambs about 3 weeks after me did .Still had a couple with it but in his opinion not as dehabilitating as previously .Think ballpark one euro per ewe .

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118891943#Comment_118891943

We did some trials for teagasc with a pig vaccine called Erisorb years ago for joint ill, Other farmers were involved too, it worked quite well here but then we couldn't get it. Other farmers didn't get good results so it only worked on a specific bug.

We were using iodine on the navels at the time and getting lots of trouble. we changed to hexachlorethane on the navels and haven't had much since