The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: onnyview on August 11, 2013, 10:36:13 am

Title: Does anyone.....
Post by: onnyview on August 11, 2013, 10:36:13 am

....Vaccinate their ewes against chlamydia? Has anyone had problems with enzootic abortion?




Allison

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: LouiseG on August 11, 2013, 01:05:26 pm

Hi, I work for a vets and our big sheep farmers do but none of the smallholders or small flocks do. Don't know if that's any help to you.
 

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: NLL on August 11, 2013, 04:43:50 pm

I inject mine for both, we have 30 breeding ewes.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: mowhaugh on August 11, 2013, 08:01:32 pm

Yes and yes.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: onnyview on August 12, 2013, 06:22:44 pm

Thanks for replies, Interested to hear if you do not vaccinate, is it because you have a closed flock and have not been affected by abortion or is it because of advise given ( or not) from the vet?




Allison

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: Blacksheep on August 12, 2013, 07:17:35 pm

We don't vaccinate against infectious abortion as we don't have a problem, if we do have a late term abortion then we send foetus and placenta off to VLA for testing, just in case. If we got a positive result back then would obviously have to reconsider flock vaccination for the following year.  My understanding is that vaccinating for enzootic abortion could mask a problem if you are selling breeding ewes to a flock that don't vaccinate, so we know that we are selling 'clean' stock to pedigree breeders.       

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: lachlanandmarcus on August 12, 2013, 07:20:34 pm

We don't because we have never had a late abortion. Like orf, it's something that we would consider if it became an issue but otherwise with currently clean flock we prefer not to mask with vaccinations.


Also we have a small flock on a decent area of land and no contact with other flocks eg through fences.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: Brucklay on August 12, 2013, 07:36:34 pm

We did have a late abortion and had all the testing done to reveal nothing nasty and as it happens the ewe just had an unexpected lamb so all is well with her now - like others I would consider if the situation changes and like others we have no other sheep around us.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: Marches Farmer on August 12, 2013, 08:28:24 pm

Same with us.  Our flock is closed, apart from new rams every 2 years, but they're quarantined for 6 weeks before joining the flock anyway.  The nearest sheep are across the valley.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: SteveHants on August 13, 2013, 08:07:42 am

I dont - I have had the odd ewe abort, but never more than one in any given year. I had been told it is a good idea to put a ewe that aborted in with the ewe lambs so they catch and then get immune to toxo before they are ever got in lamb.

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: verdifish on August 13, 2013, 01:20:33 pm

A closed flock won't stop enzotic abortions if there are cats on or near where the ewes are!

Title: Re: Does anyone.....
Post by: VSS on August 13, 2013, 07:21:41 pm

Cats spread toxoplasmosis - not enzootic abortion.

Toxo does cause abortion, but it is a different beast so a different vaccine is used.