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Ovivac or heptivac for young lambs?

Further a field

Member
Livestock Farmer
My ewes have never been vaccinated but I want to get my baby lambs started on the system ...I understand I can vaccinate them as early as 3/4 weeks old.is one or the other vaccines preferable?
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
Heptavac covers a few more diseases than Ovivac so it would depend a bit on what you may have history of lurking around on the farm.

We do all our breeding replacements with Heptavac and all those destined for the food chain with Ovivac.

Smallest bottle of Ovivac is 100ml though, so depending on your numbers, that may have some bearing on what you use.
 

Further a field

Member
Livestock Farmer
Thanks everyone...I ll go for hepitvac in case i keep some of the ewe lambs
What age do people tend to vaccinate there lambs with heptivac ..I was thinking at around 4 to 5 weeks old?
 

JoeFo

Member
We dose the ewes before lambing and then aim to the lambs at 3-4 weeks old. Just give the lamb one shot as antibodies get passed on from the ewes
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Every one we speak to is having a problem , we lost 2 & saved 2 in the last week and 3 saved in the weeks before , Draxxin & pain killer
I was getting 3/4 day a couple of weeks ago. I have one ewe left in the shed will 2 lambs that lambed a couple of days ago and noticed the lambs didn’t look great tonight and she has mastitis now! Iv been giving the ewes oxotosin (don’t know how to spell it) as well as amoxopen and meticam and manged to save most ewes and even some are back milking on both quarters.
 

Farmer_Joe

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
The North
We dose the ewes before lambing and then aim to the lambs at 3-4 weeks old. Just give the lamb one shot as antibodies get passed on from the ewes
its says in the info again as ive been reading it that ewes pass the anti bodies to the lambs for upto 6 weeks if jabbed 4-6 week pre lambing, in theory your practise could work although i don't see it recommended, although i cant see why not.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
its says in the info again as ive been reading it that ewes pass the anti bodies to the lambs for upto 6 weeks if jabbed 4-6 week pre lambing, in theory your practise could work although i don't see it recommended, although i cant see why not.

Passive immunity is passed to the lamb through antibodies in the colostrum of vaccinated ewes. That immunity is short lived, hence the need for a full (2x) vaccination program in the lambs.
Vaccinating the lambs does not boost that passive immunity that may be passed in colostrum, unfortunately.
 

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Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

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On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
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