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Veterinary surgeon
Ed Hewitt
XLVets practice
Armour Veterinary
Group
SHEEP MED I C INES
Here, vet Ed Hewitt from the Armour Veterinary
Group gives some advice on correct use and
storage of a range of medicines, and includes
some checklists for their successful use.
Clostridial vaccines
‘There are a number of clostridial diseases in
sheep,’ says Ed. ‘And there are a range of
vaccines available which cover from one to ten
of these clostridial diseases. Some also give
protection against Pasteurella.
‘The choice of an appropriate vaccine is best
discussed with the farm’s vet, and will take into
account the disease history of the farm.
‘Farmers should be aware that all of the
clostridial vaccines for sheep require two
doses to be given initially, and these must be
administered within the correct timeframe in
order to be effective. To extend the protection,
this initial course then needs to be boosted
with a single injection of the same vaccine up
to a year later.’
The right timing for abortion
vaccines
‘Vaccinating for the control and prevention of
toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion requires
only a single injection. However, the timing of
administration is very important; most products
need to be administered to the ewes prior to
the ram going out. So please check the data
sheet and follow the recommendations.’
The principles for ensuring the effectiveness
of these vaccines are similar to those for
clostridial vaccines
(see bullet points to the left)
.
Worm when needed
A worming programme, drawn up in
conjunction with the farm vet, is a key
element of the flock health plan.
Ed adds: ‘The objective of worming lambs is
to ensure growth rates are maintained, while
preventing the development of wormer
resistance on farm. It’s important that medicines
are used only when needed.
‘Sheep develop an age-related immunity to
gut worms that is generally life-long. Therefore,
adult ewes do not require regular worming.
In fact, it is not only wasting money on
product and labour that’s not required, but
it can also help speed up resistance to the
wormer on farm.
‘The only exception is around lambing time,
when the ‘peri-parturient rise’ occurs as a
result of waning immunity due to the stress of
Caring for the health of your flock: are you doing it right?
On sheep farms, the use of medicines to ensure good flock health
represents a significant cost for the enterprise. To avoid wasting time
and money on products, it’s important to ensure that the right medicine
is used for the right reason, at the right dosage, and at the right time.
And in-between times, that products are stored in the right conditions.
ED HEWITT, ARMOUR VETERINARY GROUP
Use clean injection equipment fitted with a
guard and sterile injection kit such as
Stermimatic
TM
Checklist for success:
•
Ensure injection equipment is calibrated
to the correct volume
•
Administer via the correct route
•
Use a guarded and sterilising injection kit
•
Ensure time elapsed between 1st and
2nd injections is correct
•
Store and transport at the correct
temperature
•
Do not inject wet or dirty sheep and
ensure equipment is clean
•
Do not administer two different vaccines
at the same time (allow 14 days
between different vaccines)
•
Ensure the booster vaccine is the same
vaccine given at the primary course.
WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
7
LIVESTOCK MATTERS