The Diary of Common Sheep Aspiring

Most sheep keepers aim to protect their sheep from a range of diseases caused by some the bacterial species Clostridium of which there are many , by routine vaccination. Clostridial diseases include lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney, struck, tetanus, braxy, blackleg, black disease and clostridial metritis. Probably the most common vaccine currently in use is Heptavac P Plus — the P stands for Pasteurella, a form of pneumonia that the vaccine also gives protection against. To be protected, sheep need two 2ml doses of the vaccine given weeks apart by subcutaneous injection, then an annual 2ml booster weeks before lambing.

The pre-lambing dose means that the ewe is able to pass immunity on to her lamb that lasts about three weeks.

After that, the lambs themselves can receive their own double vaccination. One of the problems with Heptavac, for the owner of the small flock, is that the smallest pack size is 25 doses and, because it is a vaccine, it needs to be used within 10 hours of opening.

Most of the disease outbreaks are now associated with farmers forgetting to vaccinate. The cost of a 5-in-1 vaccine is approx 12 cents per dose, or 24 cents to fully protect a lamb. There is a wide range of vaccines available which are used in a variety of vaccination programmes:.

Dairy Sheep Breeds

Contact your nearest VetEnt clinic to learn more about the best vaccination programme against Clostridial disease in your flock. I highly recommend VetEnt.

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Clostridial Disease in Sheep

Clostridial Disease in Sheep Clostridial diseases almost always result in death and may often involve a significant number of animals in a sheep flock. Clostridial diseases in Sheep. The common diseases are: Sheep and goats need to be running very closely together eg yarded or shedded for this to occur. Sheep lice will not breed on goats and are very unlikely to be the cause of re-infestation.

Sheep lice will not transfer to other animals. Lice do not move far from the site of hatching. Most movement is up and down the wool fibre and is governed by temperature and light. In hot, bright conditions lice stay close to the skin surface.

In moderate cool to warm and shaded conditions, they move towards the tip of the fibre. This is important, as lice are most likely to spread when near the tip of the fibre. Conditions that favour transfer will therefore occur between late afternoon and early morning ie at sheep camps, while watering , on cloudy days and during the cooler months of the year.

The main cost is lower value of wool because of fleece damage as result of rubbing and scratching by louse infested sheep.

Diary of a Swedish Shepherd

Effective lice control is dependant on an appropriate mix of animal management and chemical usage. The degree to which chemicals are needed will vary with the level of control that can be achieved. Every effort must be made to reduce the over-reliance on chemical control methods and reduce chemical residues on wool. This is particularly important in relation to chemicals applied later than six weeks after shearing.