Enzovax and Toxovax

[It was already broken.]

Got the vet next week for a six monthly look over the gate.

We had enzootic abortion last lambing so think we are going to be discussing that and getting getting Enzovax and may as well do Toxovax while we on the job. Can I give both at the same time? Anyone had any problems with either in the past? Will it stop the problem dead or will there be infected ewes that will abort anyway even if given injection? If you have had a problem with abortion how many years do I need to carry on with injections until I am clear? More money spent

 

[neilo]

Yes, you can give both together (one jab each side is rec IIRC). Any ewes that are already infected with Enzo, from last lambing, will likely abort this time whether they are vaccinated or not, although numbers might be reduced? Whether a shot of Oxytetracyline (as some routinely give ever year) would kill off any latent infection, preventing those slipping? It might be worth investigating.

You will need to vaccinate the whole flock, then do any replacements coming in each year. IIRC some infected ewes can remain carriers for life, so will be a disease risk to naive sheep until they are culled. Unless you are a closed flock with fairly robust biosecurity, I would think EAE vaccination is a no-brainer. Losses can be pretty big, quite apart from all the extra work from dealing with those that didn't quite abort, as you no doubt saw last lambing time.

The good news is that the vaccine is 'relatively' cheap. Wait til you see the price of Toxovax.

 

[rancher]

Always do the two at the same time here and have had no breakdown in immunity in either. Enzo takes a few years to burn out of the flock completely but toxo succumbs immediately.
I know it's possible in a closed flock to stop vaccinating for enzo after a few years but as it's only a once in a ewes lifetime I've continued regardless

 

[Guiggs]

Vet told me the other week you should do them separately but people rarely do and they don't seem to have a problem it's just it can put the sheep under extra stress producing 2 separate antibodies.
Toxovax is over £4 a dose, it makes me want to cry my eyes out but not nearly as much as having toxo in my flock did!

 

[Nithsdale]

Enzovac/Cevac is an absolute must if you had a breakdown. Itl won't cure things 'overnight' but 2 years down the line you will see a huge improvement.
Anyone had prices for this year yet? £1.70 per dose last year IIRC.


I will post here, instead of searching or starting another thread. My gimmers are running away from home, and are coming back into the flock soon. I need to crack on and get them clostridial vaccinated, aswell as Cevac... Anny issues jagging with Covexin8 and Cevac on the same day (different sites, obviously!!)? It would save bringing them in 3 times if I could.

Sorry for the slight hijack.

 

[Guiggs]

Enzovac/Cevac is an absolute must if you had a breakdown. Itl won't cure things 'overnight' but 2 years down the line you will see a huge improvement.
Anyone had prices for this year yet? £1.70 per dose last year IIRC.


I will post here, instead of searching or starting another thread. My gimmers are running away from home, and are coming back into the flock soon. I need to crack on and get them clostridial vaccinated, aswell as Cevac... Anny issues jagging with Covexin8 and Cevac on the same day (different sites, obviously!!)? It would save bringing them in 3 times if I could.

Sorry for the slight hijack.

As said above.. my vet told me to do them separately and I don't know about cevac but toxovax should be done at least 3 weeks before going to a tup I believe, I'd assume they'd be the same but maybe wrong...
@bovine Will put us right

 

[neilo]

As said above.. my vet told me to do them separately and I don't know about cevac but toxovax should be done at least 3 weeks before going to a tup I believe, I'd assume they'd be the same but maybe wrong...
@bovine Will put us right

Yes, both at least 3-4 weeks pre-tupping. It always used to be on the data sheet that you could do both together, not sure if it still is as I've dropped Enzovac now (after many years) so haven't really read that part lately.

 

[Hampton]

Yes, both at least 3-4 weeks pre-tupping. It always used to be on the data sheet that you could do both together, not sure if it still is as I've dropped Enzovac now (after many years) so haven't really read that part lately.

Yes, you can do both together, did them last week.
You need to leave two weeks between other vaccines such as footvax or heptavac

 

[moo-baa]

You will need to get toxovax ordered. There is a shortage and it only has a weeks shelf life.

 

[Green farmer]

Toxovax is over £4 a dose, it makes me want to cry my eyes out but not nearly as much as having toxo in my flock did!

Same view as yourself. Had a outbreak here a few years ago. Infected a small few first year, then widespread in second year. Even got myself infected. After that been doing all replacements and hasn't reared its head since. The sale of one butcher lamb in the autumn covers the cost of vaccinating 20 - 25 ewes for life. expensive but is a small price in comparison to outbreak cost.

 

[It was already broken.]

Thanks for the replies. Got comparison prices from buying group today.

Enzovax 50 dose £ 115.50
Toxovax 50 dose £ 217.36
Delivery £ 30.00

See what the vet says on Monday.

 

[mghley]

Had a similar experience here a few years ago, noticed odd ones one year and dismissed as being within usual losses, next year had a serious problem,
It is demmoralising, deppressing and you start to question weather you are ever going to have a run of healthy lambs. luckily we did and now look back on it as an experience we never wish to repeat.
Had the vet out at the time and did blood tests which were positive but far from conclusive, Vet advised that there would be some immunity build up amongst ewes for the following year, decided to jab for Toxo And Enzo (Ouch £££) all the shearlings and ewe lambs coming and we have jabbed all replacements each year since so that now the whole flock is covered.
I wince at the cost each year but believe me the alternative is not nice, it is a problem that creeps up on you and before you know it BOOM you have a mess on your hands
My advice - get it sorted !

 

[neilo]

Thanks for the replies. Got comparison prices from buying group today.

Enzovax 50 dose £ 115.50
Toxovax 50 dose £ 217.36
Delivery £ 30.00

See what the vet says on Monday.

Dear as it looks, that's a very keen price on Toxovax.

 

[neilo]

Had a similar experience here a few years ago, noticed odd ones one year and dismissed as being within usual losses, next year had a serious problem,
It is demmoralising, deppressing and you start to question weather you are ever going to have a run of healthy lambs. luckily we did and now look back on it as an experience we never wish to repeat.
Had the vet out at the time and did blood tests which were positive but far from conclusive, Vet advised that there would be some immunity build up amongst ewes for the following year, decided to jab for Toxo And Enzo (Ouch £££) all the shearlings and ewe lambs coming and we have jabbed all replacements each year since so that now the whole flock is covered.
I wince at the cost each year but believe me the alternative is not nice, it is a problem that creeps up on you and before you know it BOOM you have a mess on your hands
My advice - get it sorted !

I think any stockman that has been through a decent abortion storm, will happily pay the cost of the vaccine for quite a few years. Until the memories fade a bit anyway.

 

[bovine]

Yes together is fine. No need to give antibiotics as vaccinated sheep (even if already infected) very much less likely to abort.

The infection never goes away.

 

[Baystonsheep]

Had abortion last year now jabbing all replacements!! Don't care how much it cost can't go through that heart break ever again ..!!!!!

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I had 7 ewes on the trot abort a week before lambing....the lambs looked fully formed and didn't look nasty at all, couldn't understand why they weren't alive, then they went on lambing normal after that....I isolated the ewes and 6 weeks later had them blood tested and it came back as high toxo and clear of enzo....we only have one very old Tom cat who's been here years....where will it of come from? Stray cat? What is my best course of action for this year? Jab all my shearlings for toxo?

 

[neilo]

I had 7 ewes on the trot abort a week before lambing....the lambs looked fully formed and didn't look nasty at all, couldn't understand why they weren't alive, then they went on lambing normal after that....I isolated the ewes and 6 weeks later had them blood tested and it came back as high toxo and clear of enzo....we only have one very old Tom cat who's been here years....where will it of come from? Stray cat? What is my best course of action for this year? Jab all my shearlings for toxo?

Old cats aren't a problem IIRC, so no need to shoot him. Could be from a young wandering stray, or a bit of sh*te in bought in feed, where a cat visited a grain store somewhere? Any bought in feed, hay or sheep?

Best course of action is to vaccinate all replacements, every year. If you've had it through, most of the older sheep may be immune, but no gaurantees.
It's crazy money for the vaccine, but it would be the last abortion vaccine I'd stop.

 

[yellowbelly]

I had 7 ewes on the trot abort a week before lambing....the lambs looked fully formed and didn't look nasty at all, couldn't understand why they weren't alive, then they went on lambing normal after that....I isolated the ewes and 6 weeks later had them blood tested and it came back as high toxo and clear of enzo....we only have one very old Tom cat who's been here years....where will it of come from? Stray cat? What is my best course of action for this year? Jab all my shearlings for toxo?

Had similar here about 10years ago. Embarked on vaccination with Toxovax (advised to do everything in first year - expensive). Did all replacements for next 2 years. In year 4, when we wanted to do the next lot of replacements, no vaccine was available (some manufacturing problem) so they didn't get done. Same happened in year 5
We've not bothered since. What's the point if they can't supply vaccine when you want it?
Had a 'bit of a wobble' with a few abortions at the start of lambing this year but all tests came back negative.
Maybe it will come back and bite us on the @rse one day

Wouldn't like to advise you one way or the other

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Old cats aren't a problem IIRC, so no need to shoot him. Could be from a young wandering stray, or a bit of sh*te in bought in feed, where a cat visited a grain store somewhere? Any bought in feed, hay or sheep?

Best course of action is to vaccinate all replacements, every year. If you've had it through, most of the older sheep may be immune, but no gaurantees.
It's crazy money for the vaccine, but it would be the last abortion vaccine I'd stop.

Thanks @neilo no forage is bought in, all home grown, I do buy barley in to feed them at lambing time so can't guarantee origin...3/4 of replacements are home bred and the remaining 1/4 is bought in from the same source and they're vaccinated for enzo and toxo prior to sale....I will vaccinate my shearlings this time as I can't bear to see them aborting and it gives me too many sleepless nights!