The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Backinwellies on April 19, 2014, 02:26:57 pm

Title: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Backinwellies on April 19, 2014, 02:26:57 pm
My lambs are coming up to the age for their own vaccination with Heptovac .....  do I need to do the boys?  do they need 2 doses if they will be gone by 6-7 months?   Do lambs at 6 weeks old have same 2ml dose?  .... just trying to plan out what I need
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Bionic on April 19, 2014, 02:32:58 pm
Great questions Linda. I was just about to ask something similar, so will be watching this thread.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 19, 2014, 03:14:39 pm
Our vet did suggest that Ovivac-P might be an equally effective but cheaper option, and less rough on the lambs.  But that's with his detailed and intimate knowledge of the risk factors in our area and on our farm - so please check with your own vet, don't just assume the same would apply to you.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Foobar on April 19, 2014, 03:57:11 pm
The smallest bottle has 25 doses, so if you have 25 or less lambs then you may as well do them all. I've had a lamb drop dead at 11 Weeks old because he wasn't vaccinated.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Backinwellies on April 19, 2014, 04:03:34 pm
Thank you foobar .... useful answer.   (sorry Sally looks like I will only have a couple of spare doses!)
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 19, 2014, 04:20:06 pm
I've had a lamb drop dead at 11 Weeks old because he wasn't vaccinated.

I had a lamb drop dead at 11 weeks old and he was vaccinated!  If I hadn't have vaccinated him, I'd have blamed his vaccination status for sure ;)
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Old Shep on April 19, 2014, 06:30:42 pm
Our vets have also advised Ovivac-P SITN for the same reasons.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: twizzel on April 19, 2014, 09:10:04 pm
I've done all my tame lambs this year, all 18 of them and they are all going in the freezer come the autumn.

1 dropped dead the day after the first vaccination... bloody typical!  :raining:
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: SteveHants on April 19, 2014, 10:43:17 pm
I've had a lamb drop dead at 11 Weeks old because he wasn't vaccinated.

I had a lamb drop dead at 11 weeks old and he was vaccinated!  If I hadn't have vaccinated him, I'd have blamed his vaccination status for sure ;)


I don't think one lamb dropping dead at any stage says much about anything really....


They are sheep after all... :P




I would vacc those you are intending to keep into the autumn. I use BRavoxin, because the 'P' part of Heptavac and ovivac lasts a couple of months, apparently so it hardly seems worth it, and Bravoxin-10 covers more of the colostridial diseases.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 20, 2014, 01:13:24 am
We find that if we don't use a Pasteurella vaccine, we do lose the odd lamb to it, which is why we've switched to Heptavac-P for the ewes (from Covexin-8.)

As with so many things, your decisions need to be based on your local conditions and risk factors.
Title: Re: Heptovacing lambs
Post by: Bionic on April 20, 2014, 12:21:31 pm
Just found out that the smallest bottle of Ovivac P is 100ml so it works out more expensive for a few lambs than using Heptavac P