BTV 8 moving North from France again

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
I don't know about sheep farmers here but according to the papers fewer than 15% of cattle farmers have vaccinated adult stock this time round. Mainly due to the risk of foetal damage if they are pregnant at the time of vaccination.
Really? Bugger!

Catch 22 for spring calving suckler herds like ours then.

I'm told that cover is only effective some done weeks after the second dose too so if it arrived early September the vaccination needs to start soon.

I'll be going to one of the NFU briefing meetings. I vaccinated last time.
 

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
Really? Bugger!

Catch 22 for spring calving suckler herds like ours then.

I'm told that cover is only effective some done weeks after the second dose too so if it arrived early September the vaccination needs to start soon.

I'll be going to one of the NFU briefing meetings. I vaccinated last time.

We also vaccinated last time as it was compulsory and along with others had problems. The government this time has left it as an option due to these problems. We have to vaccinate all animals going for export. The regional advisers are now trying to persuade us to vaccinate to use up the massive stock of vaccine now available. :rolleyes:
 

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Jess
I hope a few more do fill in the survey.

Having attended a JAB meeting this evening in Ashford I am even more sure that very few sheep farmers will be vaccinating their commercial animals.
While no one is committing to a price the impression was that for the two jabs (last time sheep only needed one) the cost is likely to be £3 - £4.00 per animal, affordable for cattle, pedigree animals and rams, but I fear the rest will have to take their chance.
The timing of the vaccine of mid to late July and the fact that the 2 jabs have to be given 20 days apart with full protection not occurring for some time after that means that it is highly likely the disease will arrive before very many animals have been protected.

Last time we all vaccinated in the South and East (or at least 80%) this time it won't happen at these prices.
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Jess
I hope a few more do fill in the survey.

Having attended a JAB meeting this evening in Ashford I am even more sure that very few sheep farmers will be vaccinating their commercial animals.
While no one is committing to a price the impression was that for the two jabs (last time sheep only needed one) the cost is likely to be £3 - £4.00 per animal, affordable for cattle, pedigree animals and rams, but I fear the rest will have to take their chance.
The timing of the vaccine of mid to late July and the fact that the 2 jabs have to be given 20 days apart with full protection not occurring for some time after that means that it is highly likely the disease will arrive before very many animals have been protected.

Last time we all vaccinated in the South and East (or at least 80%) this time it won't happen at these prices.
Agreed.

We vaccinated last time but it looks like the vaccine will be too late arriving this time so wasting money we can barely afford.
 

Filthyfarmer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Hertfordshire
It would help if a price was available, both drug companies were at the JAB meeting I went to at newmarket on friday and neither would quote a price.
Perhaps having two companies in the market will help bring the price down, or the cynic in me thinks they will be pence apart...........

At the moment thinking of doing the rams and yearlings (maybe).
That way the youngest ewes will be protected this year and only require a booster next year if the virus gets a foothold in the uk:scratchhead:
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
I attended the Millbrook briefing last night. It was started by the vets and the drug reps there that any foetal issues last time were because the vaccine was live inactivated virus. Both vaccines this time around are dead virus.

Prices were not available last night but the cattle dose is twice the sheep dose.

On balance I think I'll vaccinate our sucklers.
 

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
We appear to be getting different messages here which is a worry.
I presume the info from your meeting was that cattle need twice the amount of vaccine to sheep but all will need doing twice.

This may be where the cost variation is coming from!
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
We appear to be getting different messages here which is a worry.
I presume the info from your meeting was that cattle need twice the amount of vaccine to sheep but all will need doing twice.

This may be where the cost variation is coming from!
Looking at the leaflets i picked up last night...

MSD Bluevac BTV8: sheep dose 2ml, cattle dose 4ml, both sub-cutaneous. 3 weeks between doses. Full immunity 21 days after 2nd dose in sheep and 30 days after 2nd dose in cattle.

Zoetis Zulvac 8 Bovis (cattle only): dose 2ml intra-muscular, 3 weeks between doses, full immunity 25 days after 2nd dose.

Zoetis Zulvac 8 Ovis (sheep only): dose 2ml subcutaneous, 3 weeks between doses, full immunity 25 days after 2nd dose.
 
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Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
I attended the Millbrook briefing last night. It was started by the vets and the drug reps there that any foetal issues last time were because the vaccine was live inactivated virus. Both vaccines this time around are dead virus.

Prices were not available last night but the cattle dose is twice the sheep dose.

On balance I think I'll vaccinate our sucklers.

I think they are all killed vaccines currently used in Europe. In the initial outbreak I think some attenuated vaccines may have been imported into Europe, but but not widely used. :scratchhead:
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
so what are we vaccinating in our suckler herds? All of them, breeding Bulls only, incalvers?

It would seem if we don't get the vaccine till mid to end of July there will be no protection until mid September which may well be too late anyhows so is it going to be worth it?

Edit: and what about those cows already with the bull because they'll be incalf by now won't they?
 

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
so what are we vaccinating in our suckler herds? All of them, breeding Bulls only, incalvers?

It would seem if we don't get the vaccine till mid to end of July there will be no protection until mid September which may well be too late anyhows so is it going to be worth it?

Edit: and what about those cows already with the bull because they'll be incalf by now won't they?

You need to be careful. Some companies are claiming their product is safe for use in pregnant animals, others are more cautious, suggesting only the third trimester is safe.
 

Goatherderess

Member
Location
North Dorset
I've a quote for 80p a dose from our vet. Is it just the breeding stock that need to be vaccinated - what about lambs (goat kids in my case) that won't be ready for slaughter till early 2017?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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