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Author Topic: Footvax  (Read 9619 times)

Cheviot

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Scottish Borders, north of Moffat
    • Hawkshaw Sheep yarn
Footvax
« on: October 31, 2015, 09:11:53 am »
Hi,
I saw in another post that suggested using footvax for eliminating footrot was very effective.
So can anyone who has used it be able to tell me,
Does it really eliminate footrot
What does it cost
What time of year do you administer it
And are there any downsides to using it
Thanks in advance
Regards
Sue
Cheviot, Shetland and Hebridean sheep.

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Footvax
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2015, 09:23:33 am »
It is very effective
£ a fair bit can't remember exactly
Before major problems occur on your farm - this may need to be twice a year even (maybe one year of it and a bit of culling and you will be on top of your problem)
You can never use certain Cydectin LA injectables after Footvaxing


Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Footvax
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2015, 09:43:45 am »
May have been one of my posts - always banging on about it because it was one of the best shepherding decisions I've ever made.  I checked all feet, vaccinated, move them onto fields that hadn't been grazed for three weeks, checked again seven days later, moved them onto another fresh field and haven't seen footrot or scald in the 8 years since, or needed to vaccinate again.  Mind you, we do run a closed flock and all new rams are quarantined for 6-12 weeks.  If doing it again I would vaccinate in Autumn - the oily adjuvant really irritated the young sheep and some rubbed the injection site raw so we had to catch and treat them every two or three days for several weeks to keep flies away.  It was expensive but I must have saved the cost in time and footspray within a year.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Footvax
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2015, 10:03:50 am »
So it may not have to be done every year then?


That's what had put me off it, since by all accounts it's a pretty horrid treatment to administer, what with the injection site coming up in lumps etc.


However, our shepherd friend told me not to be quite so timid (those may not have been the words he used), and to just get on and do it. He too said that autumn was the time to do it not just because of flies, but also because that gives the lumps time to go down before shearing.


I haven't been able to find a datasheet for it though (NOAH links to the Manufacturer's website, which then links back to NOAH!  :-\ [size=78%])[/size]


So, three questions if I may:


1) I take it that sheep previously treated with Cydectin LA are OK to subsequently dose with Footvax?  If so, how long do you need to leave between one and the other?
2) Where's the best injection site?
3) I take it it's an SC injection?
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Cheekierdiagram

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Footvax
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2015, 08:03:23 pm »
It
You can never use certain Cydectin LA injectables after Footvaxing

Do you mean never or not within the same year as I have used it in the past but wasn't aware of the restrictions with cydectin. 
Think it cost almost £1 per sheep for a 50 dose bottle last time I used it.

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Footvax
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2015, 09:35:37 pm »
So it may not have to be done every year then?
No

That's what had put me off it, since by all accounts it's a pretty horrid treatment to administer, what with the injection site coming up in lumps etc.
Agree

However, our shepherd friend told me not to be quite so timid (those may not have been the words he used), and to just get on and do it. He too said that autumn was the time to do it not just because of flies, but also because that gives the lumps time to go down before shearing.
Good man

I haven't been able to find a datasheet for it though (NOAH links to the Manufacturer's website, which then links back to NOAH!  :-\ [size=78%])[/size]


So, three questions if I may:


1) I take it that sheep previously treated with Cydectin LA are OK to subsequently dose with Footvax?  If so, how long do you need to leave between one and the other? Far as I know its fine
2) Where's the best injection site? Don't know, tend to use the scruff using auto injectors for all sub cuts for convenience - meant to be side of the neck for F. vax 
3) I take it it's an SC injection? Yes

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Footvax
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2015, 09:37:26 pm »
It
You can never use certain Cydectin LA injectables after Footvaxing

Do you mean never or not within the same year as I have used it in the past but wasn't aware of the restrictions with cydectin. 
Think it cost almost £1 per sheep for a 50 dose bottle last time I used it.

Not 100% on this - but have seen some serious consequences 18 months later

kris

  • Joined Jun 2012
Re: Footvax
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2015, 10:45:46 pm »
  ive been  pricing it today  as im going to use it this time for the first   to get on top of foot problems   i have with the sheep and  my breeding replacement lambs   
 quotes i got to day  50ml bottle  £68 inc vat
 250ml bottle  £215.54  + vat

 the does are 6 weeks apart   1 ml  subcutaneous  injection  same as  heptivac or ovivac if you  use it
 i have been told but check for your self it can be  done before tupping and during  tupping   but 8 weeks before lambing 
 its supposed to last  6 months   it reacts with  cydectin inject   so  cant use it  going forward   if u foot vax
 im doing mine tomorrow before my tups go in   have you  foot bathed as well     my routine now  after a vet plan  but still not sure  on not trimming the feet   the  plan is  cull  ones that have foot problems more than  twice  foot bath  regularly   and  foot vax

 the foot bath  im using  golden hoof  zinc sulfate based  kinder to there feet than  formalin  down  side is  they have to stand in it  up to 30 mins  if they have a prob  or 2 mins if not  and  weekly to start then  routine when   you  round them  up
 so  my  plan tomorrow  is foot bath  and foot vax and a drench  on to  fresh  pasture   to flush  for the tups 


shotblastuk

  • Joined May 2013
  • Proper Gloucestershire !!
Re: Footvax
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2015, 09:05:36 am »
I have avoided using any injectable products by using good management techniques (I think)!
All my flock are ran through golden hoof footbath twice a year. Spring and late Autumn.
I DO foot trim. Many disagree but my theory is what would happen if you didn't cut your own toenails? Any suspects are caught and treated with purple spray immediately.
Most importantly for me I move all troughs and feeders to fresh ground every day. I believe this is vitally important  as it prevents muddy areas being formed  which harbour all kinds of nasties and softens the feet especially in this mild climate.
Touchwood I haven't had a case in two years. (Now I've said that they'll all be limping by tonight, that's sheep for you)!! 

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Footvax
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2015, 10:26:57 am »
I don't use a footbath and I no longer trim the bulb around the back of the foot, only the front if it's over-long (seems to ary from sheep to sheep rather than be a breed thing).  I think leaving the bulb in place keeps the horn under tension whereas if it's cut back all round there's more opportunity for mud to work it's way between the horn and foot and cause shelly hoof.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Footvax
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2015, 03:31:27 pm »
Hi All,


Merck, who are the makers of Footvax kindly sent me a product datasheet, which I have attached to this post. Naturally I accept no liability for this, and please note that if you're reading this after November 2nd 2015, it may not be the latest version.


I also asked them about Cydectin compatibility, but they told me to "contact the manufacturers of Cydectin as they have obtained the information regarding the contraindication", which sounds like a cop-out to me! ??? 

Anyhow, I've done that, so watch this space!
« Last Edit: November 02, 2015, 03:33:19 pm by Womble »
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Cheviot

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Scottish Borders, north of Moffat
    • Hawkshaw Sheep yarn
Re: Footvax
« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2015, 08:21:06 pm »
Hi Womble,
Thanks for that, a data sheet that I can actually understand.
Regards
Sue
Cheviot, Shetland and Hebridean sheep.

Cheekierdiagram

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Footvax
« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2015, 10:21:14 pm »
It
You can never use certain Cydectin LA injectables after Footvaxing

Do you mean never or not within the same year as I have used it in the past but wasn't aware of the restrictions with cydectin. 
Think it cost almost £1 per sheep for a 50 dose bottle last time I used it.

Not 100% on this - but have seen some serious consequences 18 months later

Cheers that's just made up my mind that it's not really worth it. Noticed a big difference the first time I used it but since then haven't really seen a difference between using it or not.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Footvax
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2015, 10:56:35 am »
OK folks, this could be important!  I've just received the following response from Zoetis, who are the makers of Cydectin (emphasis mine, and names redacted). From what I can gather, the LA stands for Long Acting, which is different to the regular Cydectin 1% injectable:


Dear Womble

There are no known compatability issues between Cydectin 20 mg/ml LA Solution for Injection for Sheep and Footvax. The contraindication is between Cydectin 1% injectable solution for sheep and Footvax.

If the sheep you are enquiring about have definitely received Cydectin LA, there will be no concern about using Footvax now or in the future.

I hope this is of help but do let me know if you have any further queries.

Kind regards
« Last Edit: November 03, 2015, 11:01:24 am by Womble »
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Footvax
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2016, 08:15:04 pm »
OK, it's time to report back!

After struggling all last year with one foot problem or another, we finally 'gave in' and footvaxed. Prior to footvaxing we were having to treat lambs for scald on what seemed like a weekly basis, even though we always footbathed them when moving between fields etc etc. We also had several ewes go lame with footrot, which proved very difficult to treat.
 
I'm pleased to report that the result has been nothing short of remarkable, and though I'll probably jinx myself by typing this, we haven't had ANY scald or footrot since vaccinating :thumbsup: :
 
  • We did the first dose in December and the second in February.
  • This required two 20ml bottles (1ml dose per sheep)
  • Each bottle cost us £30+VAT
  • We used the same sterimatic vaccination gun as for heptavac, which worked fine
  • Some sheep developed sizeable lumps at the injection site after the first jab. These faded within a few weeks, but even so I'm glad we did it outside fly-strike season
  • Footvax is apparently especially nasty if self-injected, so take special care.
Also worthy of note is that our sheep had really weak hooves which cracked and let in infection. The jury's still out, but I believe this was due to a mineral deficiency, since for example older ewes bought in with good hooves showed horizontal cracking corresponding with the hoof being grown just after they moved to us. (in other words I believe new weak hoof material joining onto old strong material led to the cracking.) We now give all the sheep permanent access to "Zinc Rich" rockies lick blocks, and their feet now seem to be far stronger.

Obviously I'm hoping that having sorted these 'structural' problems, we won't have to footvax again - let's see.

I hope that's helpful!  :thumbsup:
« Last Edit: August 21, 2016, 08:18:32 pm by Womble »
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

 
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