Are Scabivax applicators the worst vaccine applicator in the world?

[Oldmacdonald]

Discuss.

 

[Jrp221]

Definately!! Hate them, surely there's a better way on doing it (I'm sure this is the best way but it doesn't mean I don't hate it) Infact I hate it so much i let my OH do it, and he hates it too!!

 

[David.]

They are a vast improvement on the old method, where the vial of vax had a couple of wires stuck out of the end, and with which you were expected to scratch the sheep.
But it's still a crap system.
And to be fair, because there is less waste, you can now likely do 60+ lambs per pot, instead of sometimes way under 50.

 

[Stockwell]

Won’t need to put up with them for much longer. Scabivax being discontinued, I believe, according to my vet, the last of the vaccine has now been made so when stocks run out, that’s it.

 

[Lemon curd]

Won’t need to put up with them for much longer. Scabivax being discontinued, I believe, according to my vet, the last of the vaccine has now been made so when stocks run out, that’s it.

Never heard that one. Are you sure vet mentioned scabivax , not spectram

 

[Stockwell]

Never heard that one. Are you sure vet mentioned scabivax , not spectram

Definitely scabivax (as well as spectam).

 

[Jrp221]

Definitely scabivax (as well as spectam).

I hope they come up with an alternative! The loss of production in ewe and lamb can have a massive effect.

 

[Radio]

I believe a new company are taking over production of scabivax.

 

[yellowbelly]

I hope they come up with an alternative! The loss of production in ewe and lamb can have a massive effect.

There's been one for ages.......

.....FRO buckets.
There's a bonus too...........

............they do their own 'applicating' (although it's better if they stick their head's in rather than their feet )

 

[copse]

There's been one for ages.......
View attachment 1012457.....FRO buckets.
There's a bonus too...........

View attachment 1012458
............they do their own 'applicating' (although it's better if they stick their head's in rather than their feet )

Does it actually work?

 

[yellowbelly]

Does it actually work?

Stopped using Scabivax four or five years ago when the price went up. They have access to the buckets more or less from birth but they don't use them unless they need them.
See the occasional one with a blister but we did when we were scratching.

Started using the DXO buckets last year (they do cocci as well). That saves drenching them with Vecoxan too.

 

[copse]

Stopped using Scabivax four or five years ago when the price went up. They have access to the buckets more or less from birth but they don't use them unless they need them.
See the occasional one with a blister but we did when we were scratching.

Started using the DXO buckets last year (they do cocci as well). That saves drenching them with Vecoxan too.

Do you have to keep ewes away from the buckets or don’t they bother with them?

 

[JSmith]

Do you have to keep ewes away from the buckets or don’t they bother with them?

The orf buckets are very good, the ewes never used to bother with them much, not sure if it’s quite the same recipe now though

 

[yellowbelly]

Do you have to keep ewes away from the buckets or don’t they bother with them?

Ours don't seem to bother them too much. There was a problem a year or two ago when they changed the formula but they seem to have made them harder again.

 

[David.]

Do you not find you spend more on buckets than the cocci drench costs?

 

[at the edge]

Stopped using Scabivax four or five years ago when the price went up. They have access to the buckets more or less from birth but they don't use them unless they need them.
See the occasional one with a blister but we did when we were scratching.

Started using the DXO buckets last year (they do cocci as well). That saves drenching them with Vecoxan too.

We never used to scratch until we came to the current farm, which did have an off problem to be fair. I remember moaning about it on the telephone one day to one of my elderly neighbours from where we used to farm. Always remember him saying ‘just stop doing them’ he said you’ll have a year of pain then you’ll never need to do them again.

Reluctantly we did, not by pure choice , as the spring was particularly late,wet and cold and the lambs were stressed enough at marking. We’ve never seen it again, he was right.

Only reason I can think is we were constantly breaking orfs cycle by scratching and by letting it complete its course it may have burnt itself out? Anyways it’s not here on anything now thankfully

 

[yellowbelly]

Do you not find you spend more on buckets than the cocci drench costs?

It's probably six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Saves having to drench them all though.