The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: ewesaidit on March 23, 2013, 08:33:40 pm
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Normally lamb in January and do a pre-lambing booster 4 weeks pre-lambing, however, have an odd one out (long story!) who has been missed out and has about a week to go. Vet advice was it's too late to be of benefit the ewe's colostrum now and to vaccinate the lambs at birth. Has anyone any experience of having to do this? I read somewhere about using an anti-serum as well as vaccinating. Bit scared to vaccinate baby lambs! Any advice welcome, thanks
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If you can milk out some colostrum from ewes that have been vaccinated and give that to her lambs at birth then they will get the antibodies needed from that. We always try and keep some frozen colostrum from our ewes in case it is needed, I am never sure that the powdered stuff has all the antibodies needed or not. I don't think antiserum is available in the UK unfortunately. I too would be very concerned about giving newborn lambs heptavac at birth, have had them react badly at 3 weeks old in the past, it is very harsh on them.
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Nice bit of advice there Blacksheep
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thanks Blacksheep - unfortunately everything else lambed ages ago so there are no other ewes to donate I have a couple of sachets of Volostrum and wondered if this would contain some antibodies that would help? If so I could make sure I gave them that even if the ewe doesn't have any problems
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I rear several - a dozen or more, usually - of our own orphan lambs every year and, whilst I'd always give ewe's colostrum if I had it, I am very comfortable that the powdered colostrum replacement provides adequate protection for the first few weeks.
If I am certain the lamb didn't get ewe's colostrum then I vaccinate it at a few weeks old.
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Would this be the scenario in which to use lambivac rather than heptavac p+
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thanks SallyintNorth and Colliewoman
that's reassuring re the powdered colustrum so it will probably be a good idea to make sure the lamb/s get a sachet of that as well as mum's
Colliewoman - that's an interesting question - I have heard people saying that the Heptavac P Plus is rather 'strong' for young lambs - is this because of the pasturella element? anyone else think it best to go for a different vaccine in this scenario?
thanks again
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Our vet recommended Ovivac-P Plus for lambs as being less of a hit to their wee systems. It doesn't protect against lamb dysentery, is all. Neither it nor Heptavac-P Plus are recommended in lambs less than 3 weeks old :
should not be used in lambs less than 3 weeks of age due to the possible immunological incompetence of the very young lamb and competition from any maternally derived colostral antibodies.
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For anyone interested this link gives some advice on what to look for in a colostrum supplement. http://www.overthecounter.cc/training_modules_view.asp?module=Sheep&id=212 (http://www.overthecounter.cc/training_modules_view.asp?module=Sheep&id=212) I now understand why the packets don't tell you about antibodies they provide, this always had me a bit worried about what protection they actually offered newborn lambs!
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Great link, thanks for that Blacksheep :)
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Young tup was obviously playing when he should of been working vaccinated ewes 4 weeks back looks like they are a bit off now. They are soays would you good people jab the lambs when born or leave them till they are older. Realy glad they are going to be late with this weather at the moment.