[fgaskell]

Do sheep need vaccinations?
How many per sheep?
thanks

[wildandwooly]

Hi from a relative newbie, not regarding sheep generally just with now having my own sheep so plenty of people on here who will give you better advice than me! 

Yes all sheep need vaccinations.  Do you have some sheep now or are you thinking of getting some?

[fgaskell]

Wildandwooly.
I am hoping to get some easy care sheep.
I was just interested on other people’s opinions because my friend doesn’t vaccinate her easy care

Thanks

[Womble]

It's a bit like an insurance policy. You may never need it, but.....


As Scarlet Dragon says, the most common vaccine used by smallholders is called Heptavac. It protects against several different, mostly soil borne, diseases. We once bought sheep which we were told had been vaccinated. However, one died shortly after arriving of what I'm pretty sure was one of the diseases the vaccine protects against. If I'm right, and she was never actually vaccinated, she'll never have been exposed to it before arriving on our holding, and then had no immunity. Does that make sense?

The usual regime is that breeding stock get an annual booster about a month before lambing, to maximise immunity passed to their newborn lambs. Then lambs get one jab at a minimum of 3 weeks old and another a month later, followed by the annual booster thereafter.

HTH!

[wildandwooly]

Yep definitely agree Heptavac P. You can't not vaccinate for anything in my humble onion.  As you may have seen in my recent post about injecting sheep I have 4 Shetlands who have had the Heptavac P Plus and I've just had major problems with 2 new sheep who hadn't been vaccinated for anything (my fault I should have checked first  ) and were coughing and wheezing for a few days so I had to call the vet out. They will be having the Hep vaccination asap.....

[fgaskell]

It's a bit like an insurance policy. You may never need it, but.....


As Scarlet Dragon says, the most common vaccine used by smallholders is called Heptavac. It protects against several different, mostly soil borne, diseases. We once bought sheep which we were told had been vaccinated. However, one died shortly after arriving of what I'm pretty sure was one of the diseases the vaccine protects against. If I'm right, and she was never actually vaccinated, she'll never have been exposed to it before arriving on our holding, and then had no immunity. Does that make sense?

The usual regime is that breeding stock get an annual booster about a month before lambing, to maximise immunity passed to their newborn lambs. Then lambs get one jab at a minimum of 3 weeks old and another a month later, followed by the annual booster thereafter.

HTH!

This helps so much thanks.
Forgive me for sounding stupid,
What jab and annual booster are these?
How many time should a single sheep be vaccinated?
Is it just the Heptavac that is really needed?

Many thanks

[Womble]

All the same injection - heptavac P+ (other alternatives are available, but that's the most comprehensive, and hence the most commonly used).

> How many time should a single sheep be vaccinated?

Twice as a lamb, then annually thereafter.

The only kicker with it is that the smallest bottle does 25 doses and has to be used the same day it's opened. As a result, it's quite common for smallholders to co-ordinate and share a bottle.

[wildandwooly]

I've been advised to give the two sheep who haven't previously had the Heptavac P Plus an initial dose then a second @ 4 weeks later and then an annual booster of not more than 12 months. The 4 who have been having the Heptavac in early April this year will have the booster jab prob end of Oct.

[Backinwellies]

I've been advised to give the two sheep who haven't previously had the Heptavac P Plus an initial dose then a second @ 4 weeks later and then an annual booster of not more than 12 months. The 4 who have been having the Heptavac in early April this year will have the booster jab prob end of Oct.

think I might have risked it for a few months to get them all at the same time .... or maybe do the two now and again in Oct or they will forever be out of sink and cost a fortne in vaccine

[fgaskell]

thank you all so much.
my head has been in a muddle about it for ages! LOL
So many different people say use this, and others say  use that, so a quite a few replies from   people who all have the same opinions is really appreciated.
thanks

[wildandwooly]

Yes Backinwellies good point 
Good luck fgaskell. Let us know when you get your sheep and how you get on 
They are worth the occasional worry moments 

[fgaskell]

Thankyou,
I will!