Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: VACCINATION NIGHTMARE!!  (Read 1321 times)

Julia1521

  • Joined Jul 2020
VACCINATION NIGHTMARE!!
« on: July 08, 2020, 11:36:13 pm »
Hello everyone!

About a year ago I brought 4 ewes from a man who owns a smallholding near me. He explained to me that they had lambivac boosters once a year and kindly said he would demonstrate how to do it for me. When he did it he did it completely wrong and just stabbed the needle into the muscle in her hind leg and injected instead of injecting it subcutaneously! I've done it properly since then but am worried that as he is the same person that did their primary course they might not be properly protected.

I've been considering switching to Heptavac P for a while now as I've heard this is what most people use. Should I re-do the lambivac primary course or could I switch to Heptavac P and start them on the primary course for that. I'm not sure if this needs to be done at a certain time of year and if its as easy as just stopping one and starting the other?

I also got a couple of goats off him so i'm assuming they may also not be properly protected. They came with records that showed they've had lambivac on and off for several years but had another primary course 2 years ago by him (i'm guessing they left it too long and had to redo). Is it safe to do yet ANOTHER primary course for them, it could be their 3rd or maybe even 4th one?! I only gave them their 6 month booster a few weeks ago. Will it change how effective it is or be dangerous in anyway?

Any advice would be massively appreciated!

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: VACCINATION NIGHTMARE!!
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2020, 04:36:07 pm »
First question - what kind of goats are they and are they pets or breeding/producing animals? Male, neutered, or female?


In broad terms adult sheep should be boostered with Heptavac P once per year after their initial two-injections-four-weeks-apart course as lambs. Goats however have been shown to not build up great immunity to clostridial vaccines in general, and to multi vaccines in particular. So as goats mainly are susceptible to tetanus and enterotoxaemia (more so when younger), the vaccine with the lowest number of individual vaccines in one bottle is Lambivac. Initial course as per sheep, then minimum 6 monthly booster, some of us doing it four monthly for the first couple of years, then every six months. Sheep farmers use Lambivac for lambs that are sold for meat rather than breeding.


That leaves the pasteurella protection out for goats - therefore use of Ovipast is advised IF you have a problem with pasteurella on your farm. Again, same initial double course, then 6 monthly boosters from then on.


However many goat breeders do use Heptavac, as it is the cheaper option, especially if your herd is quite small. The reason I asked if they are pets, there is a theory that as they get older they become less susceptible to clostridial diseases, especially if they live a rather stressfree life. I would have a word with your local vet and get his opinion.

 
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