[ZacB]

We have 8*3 week old lambs that are only here to be fattened up. Having asked a few people, have now got more questions than answers  (This is worse than asking a few beekeepers a simple question )

What do you use if anything ?

Lambivac - no pasteurella cover. Available in 50ml bottles.

Ovivac P Plus - everything ? but only available in 100ml bottles.

Heptavac P Plus - everything ? Available in 50ml bottles, suitable for lambs, however Ovivac P Plus recommended for growing and store lambs 

All of these only have 10 hrs shelf life after opening, is this really the case ?

Any other products out there that I've missed ? (Not sure I really want that one answered  )

Anyone vaccinating locally to Bury St.Edmunds in the next couple of weeks ?

[VSS]

We have 8*3 week old lambs that are only here to be fattened up. Having asked a few people, have now got more questions than answers  (This is worse than asking a few beekeepers a simple question )

What do you use if anything ?

Lambivac - no pasteurella cover. Available in 50ml bottles.

Ovivac P Plus - everything ? but only available in 100ml bottles.

Heptavac P Plus - everything ? Available in 50ml bottles, suitable for lambs, however Ovivac P Plus recommended for growing and store lambs 

All of these only have 10 hrs shelf life after opening, is this really the case ?

Any other products out there that I've missed ? (Not sure I really want that one answered  )

Anyone vaccinating locally to Bury St.Edmunds in the next couple of weeks ?

We have found that we lose far fewer lambs since we started vaccinating them all and less poor ones as well. We always use Hetavac P Plus. Lambs get their first dose at shearing, so they are about 10 weeks old and second dose in Mid July so 4 - 6 weeks later.

Every bottle of stuff you ever buy will tell you that there is only a 10 hr shelf life once the seal has been compromised. We use an automatic injector for vaccinating which reduces the damage to the seal. Then when we have done the ones we want, remove the injector from the bottle and cover the seal tightly with clingfilm and store in the fridge. I think this is fairly common practice.

[ZacB]

Every bottle of stuff you ever buy will tell you that there is only a 10 hr shelf life once the seal has been compromised. We use an automatic injector for vaccinating which reduces the damage to the seal. Then when we have done the ones we want, remove the injector from the bottle and cover the seal tightly with clingfilm and store in the fridge. I think this is fairly common practice.

Would love to know if this is the case & common practice. At least that way if we purchased a 50ml bottle we would use 32ml of the stuff as opposed to 16ml & then have to buy a 2nd bottle for the 2nd vaccination 4 weeks later.

Anybody else care to comment?

[Brijjy]

We did the same, automatic injector then cover the seal and put the Hep P + in the fridge til next time.

[plumseverywhere]

our Heptavac P is in the fridge tightly wrapped in cling film too. We only have 3 lambs and 2 sheep and having swapped the goats onto lambivac last year its literally only the 5 woollies that use it.

[VSS]

Every bottle of stuff you ever buy will tell you that there is only a 10 hr shelf life once the seal has been compromised. We use an automatic injector for vaccinating which reduces the damage to the seal. Then when we have done the ones we want, remove the injector from the bottle and cover the seal tightly with clingfilm and store in the fridge. I think this is fairly common practice.

Would love to know if this is the case & common practice. At least that way if we purchased a 50ml bottle we would use 32ml of the stuff as opposed to 16ml & then have to buy a 2nd bottle for the 2nd vaccination 4 weeks later.

Anybody else care to comment?

The manufacturers of these products have to write this stuff on the bottlles to cover themselves. There are very few instances where a bottle will not keep in the fridge for a while. Live vaccines (such as toxovax for example) wouldn't keep in the fridge for four weeks, but would probably be OK overnight of perhaps for 24-36 hours. You have to make a judgement regarding the cost implications of chucking away a good amount of stuff as opposed to any percieved loss in eficacy.

I know that Heptavac P is stored in fridges in this manner on farms all over the UK

[PetiteGalette]

Can anyone point me in the direction of /link to an automatic injector please?
I'm over in the UK for a few days in a couple of weeks and can buy one then.
Many thanks from a warm and sunny Brittany........................

[VSS]

This is the sort of thing to look for http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/prima-tech-adjustable-vaccinator-with-bottle-mount-2ml#description

[PetiteGalette]

Thans VSS - MoH is calling in at Mole Valley Farmers with a long list next week, so will get him to buy one!

[dyedinthewool]

We have found that we lose far fewer lambs since we started vaccinating them all and less poor ones as well. We always use Hetavac P Plus. Lambs get their first dose at shearing, so they are about 10 weeks old and second dose in Mid July so 4 - 6 weeks later. 

Is that '10 weeks' even if the ewe's had Heptavac P Plus at four weeks before lambing?

Keeping the Heptavac bottle: do you mean it could be kept from the first injection until the second 4-6 weeks later?

[Muttley94]

I asked my vet about this and she said that as long as the bottle is well clingfilmed and in the fridge then it will be fine for both injections. Unless there is another smallholder near you who could share, this saves money, which is always a bonus
VSS is that the best type to get? Being a first timer I'm a little confused with all the different kinds of things needed 

[ZacB]

Many thanks to everyone who has helped/advised on this matter. Will up-date with final decision but I'm thinking whatever we end up with, it will be the one bottle which will be kept in the fridge for the second jab.

[MarvinH]

quote; re VSS

"Every bottle of stuff you ever buy will tell you that there is only a 10 hr shelf life once the seal has been compromised. We use an automatic injector for vaccinating which reduces the damage to the seal. Then when we have done the ones we want, remove the injector from the bottle and cover the seal tightly with clingfilm and store in the fridge. I think this is fairly common practice."

If you inserted just a single needle into the bottle - keeping it there and withdraw all doses from that  fixing a second needle to inject, remove second needle , refix to the inserted needle, withdraw dose etc .....................

Can this method be classed as similiar to the damage seal limitation that an automatic injector would give? Enabling to clingfilm and use again at a later date?
ta

[VSS]

I should think that would be OK although obviously I can't guarantee it. Basically the less damaged there is to the seal the better it will keep.

This will apply to all medicine bottles.