vaccinating store lambs

Dickie10

i lost two lambs in the last two months , these were late born lambs into june, there mothers were vaccinated , i was just wondering for next year should i vaccinate these type of store lambs or what time of year would i do them?

wrangler

Dickie10 wrote: »

i lost two lambs in the last two months , these were late born lambs into june, there mothers were vaccinated , i was just wondering for next year should i vaccinate these type of store lambs or what time of year would i do them?

The mothers vaccination only covers the lambs for about 8 weeks if the ewes were vaccinated within 6 wks of lambing,
If the ewes were vaccinated more than six weeks from lambing the protection can be reduced too.
So if you want them protected you vaccinate them at around eight weeks old and then at a month later

Dickie10

should that cover until slughter?

Dinzee Conlee

We always vaccinated the ewes like you did... But we used never vaccinate the lambs at 10 weeks...

We used to vaccinate any stranglers or store lambs left around September or October though.

We seemed to lose them more when the weather changed, which would be end September-ish. Never lost that many in the summer...

Not saying that’s the right thing to do - just what we used to do when we had sheep lambing...

Now, I just buy a few store lambs. Vaccinate em, but I still managed to lose one to what I suspect was pneumonia... you can only do your best...

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

We always vaccinated the ewes like you did... But we used never vaccinate the lambs at 10 weeks...

We used to vaccinate any stranglers or store lambs left around September or October though.

We seemed to lose them more when the weather changed, which would be end September-ish. Never lost that many in the summer...

Not saying that’s the right thing to do - just what we used to do when we had sheep lambing...

Now, I just buy a few store lambs. Vaccinate em, but I still managed to lose one to what I suspect was pneumonia... you can only do your best...

When we used to have eight hundred lambs plus we used to wait until we'd lose a couple and vaccinate them then, but we'd get away with not doing them some years. Now however with only about a hundred lambs we feel it's better to do them because it doesn't cost much.
You can lose two or three very quick in the right weather

foxirl

wrangler wrote: »

When we used to have eight hundred lambs plus we used to wait until we'd lose a couple and vaccinate them then, but we'd get away with not doing them some years. Now however with only about a hundred lambs we feel it's better to do them because it doesn't cost much.
You can lose two or three very quick in the right weather

The father always gave the annual booster to ewes 4 weeks before lambing, then gave lambs 2cc at 8 weeks and then another 2cc to any ewe lambs that were been kept at about 6 months old. Definitely not following what the instruction say but never had any major issue with losing any. Not saying to follow his lead, maybe he just got lucky. Would have had 800 lambs back in the day too.only about 300 now.

Dickie10

i myself was thinking something along similar lines, maybe vaccinate all lambs at weaning or when i buy in store lambs around late july then a booster 6 weeks after

Lambman

Didn't get vaccinating a batch off 23 replacement lambs this year between 1 thing and an other will be doing them with the ewes now in 3 weeks though. First year I missed ones but lucky enough there doing aswell as the rest off the replacements.

early_riser

Anyone on here not vaccinate at all? Father here never did, runs a closed flock alright apart from buying in rams and he has very few losses every year. Do mine every year and still lose a few lambs wonder would the loses be any more if i didnt do them?

Dickie10

i got away without vaccinating ewes for about first 5 years farming, then got an awful doing with lamb dysentry(perfingens type c) awful disease . kills lambs that are healthy after 48 hours just when there thriving. they die within 2-3 hrs. never wouldnt vaccinate again.

wrangler

Dickie10 wrote: »

i got away without vaccinating ewes for about first 5 years farming, then got an awful doing with lamb dysentry(perfingens type c) awful disease . kills lambs that are healthy after 48 hours just when there thriving. they die within 2-3 hrs. never wouldnt vaccinate again.

I had a neighbour here got the same in his baby lambs, he used to bring them here to use our hotbox, but it was only delaying the inevitable

charolais0153

early_riser wrote: »

Anyone on here not vaccinate at all? Father here never did, runs a closed flock alright apart from buying in rams and he has very few losses every year. Do mine every year and still lose a few lambs wonder would the loses be any more if i didnt do them?

Would always do the ewes pre lambing.its a false economy not doing them

Green farmer

early_riser wrote: »

Anyone on here not vaccinate at all? Father here never did, runs a closed flock alright apart from buying in rams and he has very few losses every year. Do mine every year and still lose a few lambs wonder would the loses be any more if i didnt do them?

In a normal year you might get away without vaccinating or not giving a full course, but a year like this comes along and you could have large losses. Good healthy lambs near market weights. Lost a few this autumn. Think the drought just weakened them, thus allowing other things to sneak in and kill them. Hear or lads loosing loads across the water as well this autumn.