As summer progresses it is worth thinking about you clostridial disease vaccination programme and making sure that it provides the best possible protection for your animals.
Two key points to remember are:
- Protection provided to new-born lambs or calves by vaccination of the mother prior to birth (for example Heptavac P vaccination pre-lambing) only lasts for 8-12 weeks. After this age lambs and calves must be vaccinated themselves to provide ongoing protection. Depending on which vaccine you are using they can be vaccinated from two to three weeks of age.
- Don’t forget to include rams, bulls and young stock in your vaccination programme. Vaccinations can lead to transient increase in body temperature so it is best to avoid vaccinating breeding males for 60 days prior to and during the breeding season.
We’ve taken these key points from our July 2019 newsletter, this includes information on lameness and abortion prevention in sheep.