[firemansam]

My ewes are on heptivav p, and were done in Jan. At what age do I vacinate their lambs?

[Marches Farmer]

Our lambs are turned out onto low density grazing and are within 3 weeks of age so I usually give the first vaccination of Ovivac P Plus when the youngest is 9 weeks.  This year, however, I'm going to do it earlier than that as the weather has been so very challenging and they've been in the shed for more than the usual 2-3 days after lambing.  Waiting for that bitter wind to drop.

[SteveHants]

I do it at first gather - usually about a month or so

[novicesmallholder]

Wev'e just had a long discussion with our vet re heptvac as we didn't vaccinate last yr and lost a ewe to one of the diseases it covers.
 
They recommended to us:
 
Vacinnate the mothers six weeks before lambing to give the lambs an initial 3 week cover when they are born.
 
Vacinnate the lambs when the youngest is 3 weeks old (if big gaps inbetween births then need to stagger)
 
Revaccinate 4 weeks later.
 
 
 

[Foobar]

I used to not vaccinate the lambs until the autumn but I lost a lamb at 11 weeks old last year so I'll be doing mine when the youngest is four weeks (only as it coincides with when the ewe's are due their flukicide) (the oldest will be 7 weeks) .

[suziequeue]

There you go firemansam - four different answers all of which are totally justifiable by the individual shepherd caring for his/her flock.

You can read the instructions on the label but then you need to temper that with your own unique circumstances as the other respondents demonstrate

 

[firemansam]

Clear as mud

Easy for my lambs, I can do them any time from 3weeks-5 months on advice so far. But I have baby goats, so I can only jab them once before they go to their new homes.

[MKay]

It sounds like a lot of people need to learn about how the immature immune system develops.

OP so long as the lambs had colostrum from a vaccinated ewe their immature immune system will not attempt to create anti odies to deal with the antigens, they will just leave it to the antibodies provided by their dam. Only when their own immune system has started to develop sufficiently will they clear out her antibodies and develop their own to combat new threats. This is when they need to be jagged and thus will create their own antibodies and be protected by them in the long term, the yearly booster activates the immune system and causes an increased production of the antibodies thus ensuring and improving protection.

[SteveHants]

It sounds like a lot of people need to learn about how the immature immune system develops.

OP so long as the lambs had colostrum from a vaccinated ewe their immature immune system will not attempt to create anti odies to deal with the antigens, they will just leave it to the antibodies provided by their dam. Only when their own immune system has started to develop sufficiently will they clear out her antibodies and develop their own to combat new threats. This is when they need to be jagged and thus will create their own antibodies and be protected by them in the long term, the yearly booster activates the immune system and causes an increased production of the antibodies thus ensuring and improving protection.

So; you are saying you should vaccinate them after weaning?


I think most people realise what you have said, but you have to marry it with the practicalies of having the lambs old enough to flock a bit and stand a gather.