[shrekfeet]

Ok, just so I am sure I'm doing this right. You inject the in-lamb ewes 4 weeks before they are due to lamb (2ml each). Last year's lambs will have had protection from their mum when they lamb. They don't get a jab until this year (maybe when you do the in-lamb ewes) and then again 4 weeks later. Is that right.

I have so many bits to remember to do that I need some kind of chart to fit it all on

[shep53]

Hello  shrekfeet   you are right but maybe need to alter this year your ewes perfect 4wks before lambing and your correct immunity is passed on via colostrum but only for a limited period, lambs then get two injections 4 to 6wks apart and a booster pre-lambing every year. Hope this helps

[shrekfeet]

so are you saying they should get cover via colostrum and then how long do I leave it before they get the next 2 injections?

[VSS]

Lambs born to ewes that were vaccinated 4 weeks before lambing will get some protection provided they get adequate colostrum. This protection only last for a few weeks.

We vaccinate all our lambs at 12 weeks (shearing time for us) and then they have a booster four weeks later.
The next booster is given when they are about a year old, usually in April. Following that the annual booster is given four weeks before lambing.

They must have the initial course of two injections before you can move on to annual boosters.

Not everyone vaccinates their lambs, but since we started doing this about 4 years ago, we have lost far fewer lambs and they have done better on the whole. We rarely lose a lamb to pneumonia now. Note if you want pneumonia cover you have to use Heptavac-P

[shep53]

VSS explained it perfectly

[andywalt]

does everyone heptavac? I think some of the ewes I brought had been done, is it an essentual protection required?

[shep53]

 No it is not essential but if you have sheep of unknown medical history then maybe advisable

[waterhouse]

Heptavac use needs planning as the bottle has to be used within 10 hours of opening and it isn't cheap at £18 for the 25 dose pack

[lachlanandmarcus]

do you do rams and wethers too or just the girls/lambs?

[andywalt]

I have 23 ewes, 2 tups,and 4 wethers  in two groups

[Rosemary]

I do all mine, including tups and wethers. The bottle's open anyway but would probably do them in any case.

[VSS]

Heptavac use needs planning as the bottle has to be used within 10 hours of opening and it isn't cheap at £18 for the 25 dose pack

Virtually every type of medication will say this on the bottle. Having said that if you keep it in the fridge, it will keep for a while. If you don't need 25 doses, see if you can share a bottle with another smallholder.

[Rosemary]

My vet told me to put one needle in to draw off, keep the bottle clean and in the fridge and that one bottle would do both lamb doses. He didn't recommend keeping it longer than that.

[shep53]

Try wrapping the rubber cap in clingfilm to seal it,keep in fridge. I keep it for a couple of months seems okay. It is in a collapseable container and i use a draw off tube with an automatic syringe and stericaps.

[ScotsGirl]

Confusion over shelf life is being mixed up with blue tongue vaccine which must be used within 8 hours of opening.

Heptavac as long as kept refrigerated should last at least for 2 doses. Only issue is with bacteria getting into it so using just one clean needle, drawing off and injecting with second needle should be ok.  I used vaccine auto- gun last year and had no problem as this draws off correct dose and no dirty needle accessing the bottle.