It’s that time of year again when we are out meeting farmers up and down the country at our mart events. I had some great chats with farmers, but there was one dominant topic – confusion surrounding the use of vaccines in cattle and sheep. I was surprised about some of the mistakes being made with vaccines. They included:
Vaccines not being used where they could make a real difference as they are perceived too costly.Storing vaccines incorrectly.Administering vaccines at the wrong time and by the wrong route.Not completing courses – where two shots are required only giving a primary course.Not handling and mixing vaccines correctly (one farmer wasn’t using the powder in the intranasal vaccine and just administering the water).Using homeopathic remedies and classing them as vaccines. Not doing any diagnostics or working with their vets to make sure their vaccine matched the challenge.Timing is everything
Vaccines create an immunological memory so we need to create this before the risk period. For example, when we use scour vaccines in cows it is to enhance the antibodies (memory) in colostrum. With pneumonia being a key risk indoors, it is important we vaccinate young animals before housing so they have the highest immunity possible when the risk or challenge occurs.
Read the label and talk to your vet
It is vital to read the label carefully and follow the instructions properly. Please talk to your vet about getting the best results from vaccines. They will help you make better and more informed decisions. Every farm can’t vaccinate for every disease but look at what diseases currently affect your herd and what diseases might your farm and animals be at risk of.
Give vaccines to healthy animals
Most vaccines work best when they are given to healthy animals to stimulate a response. Sick animals will have lowered immunity and a poorer response. This comes back to timing vaccines correctly and administering them to healthy animals before the risk period. Fore example, early pneumonia vaccines for young calves can reduce risk of infection. This is why intranasal vaccines are often used in young calves.
Don’t give vaccines to animals after periods of stress such as directly after purchase, transport or dehorning, as you will not get the same immune response. Ideally, wait 24 hours after animals arrive on farm to administer vaccines.
Live versus dead vaccines
Dead vaccines contain a dead component of the pathogen we are vaccinating against. They often require two shots a certain number of weeks apart. They typically will give a slower immune response, often after the second booster is given. They then usually require an annual booster.
Live vaccines contain a tiny component of the agent being vaccinated against. This is too little to cause disease but enough to develop an immune response.
They can be given intranasally or into the muscle and have a quicker immune response although often for a shorter period of time.
Examples of live vaccines are intranasal pneumonia vaccines that can be administered to calves.
Store them correctly
This is where we often fall down in Irish farms. Vaccines must be stored correctly to make sure they work when given. Every farm should have a fridge set at between 2°C and 4°C to store vaccines correctly. When removing your vaccine from cold storage, avoid heat and direct sunlight and ideally use them quickly.
Ask your vet which vaccines can be given together; most vaccines need to be given on their own to allow for the full immunological response. Farmers should really sit down with their own vet to draw up a farm-specific vaccination plan.
Use the correct equipment when using vaccines
Administer them by the correct route
This is another area where we need to improve on. Vaccines are designed to be administered by a specific route. Read the label carefully and ensure that you are using the correct administration techniques. This may include correct reconstitution where powder and water need to be mixed. Also, dirty needles may inactivate and damage the vaccine. At the very least keep one clean needle in the vaccine bottle.
Match the vaccine to the risk
We can’t vaccinate for everything as this often doesn’t always make economic sense. You do, however, need to make sure you have some idea what diseases pose a risk on your farm. The use of diagnostics may help identify viral pneumonia or fertility issues. Otherwise, we can look at what diseases might be contributing to problems. For example, footrot in sheep can be aided by vaccination if timed correctly.
Did you get value for money?
This is the big question. As vaccines often act like an insurance policy, it may be difficult to say we got value for money. While when they are used to control or improve an existing problem like pneumonia, it is easier to see the value.
Salmonella vaccination is a risk for lots of farms but often farmers use it without having had problems previously. All I can say on this one is that once salmonella affects a herd, it can be devastating, and vaccination is not costly then. Again I encourage farmers to work with their vets to assess their salmonella risk.
Other measures
Vaccines alone won’t solve disease issues and must be used in conjunction with better management and good husbandry. Relying on vaccines on their own is a false economy.
Is it a vaccine?
Proper vaccines take five to eight years to develop and are backed by science (they have to be to get licensed). It has come to my attention recently that some homeopathic vaccines are being used. A vaccine will usually require a prescription before it is administered. Make sure you check the science behind any products used on your farm.
Is it working?
Vaccines aren’t bulletproof and if you aren’t getting the desired results, ask the question why? The first place to start is checking the above list to make sure we have used them correctly. We often blame vaccines where it might have been human error.
It’s that time of year again when we are out meeting farmers up and down the country at our mart events. I had some great chats with farmers, but there was one dominant topic – confusion surrounding the use of vaccines in cattle and sheep. I was surprised about some of the mistakes being made with vaccines. They included:
Vaccines not being used where they could make a real difference as they are perceived too costly.Storing vaccines incorrectly.Administering vaccines at the wrong time and by the wrong route.Not completing courses – where two shots are required only giving a primary course.Not handling and mixing vaccines correctly (one farmer wasn’t using the powder in the intranasal vaccine and just administering the water).Using homeopathic remedies and classing them as vaccines. Not doing any diagnostics or working with their vets to make sure their vaccine matched the challenge.Timing is everything
Vaccines create an immunological memory so we need to create this before the risk period. For example, when we use scour vaccines in cows it is to enhance the antibodies (memory) in colostrum. With pneumonia being a key risk indoors, it is important we vaccinate young animals before housing so they have the highest immunity possible when the risk or challenge occurs.
Read the label and talk to your vet
It is vital to read the label carefully and follow the instructions properly. Please talk to your vet about getting the best results from vaccines. They will help you make better and more informed decisions. Every farm can’t vaccinate for every disease but look at what diseases currently affect your herd and what diseases might your farm and animals be at risk of.
Give vaccines to healthy animals
Most vaccines work best when they are given to healthy animals to stimulate a response. Sick animals will have lowered immunity and a poorer response. This comes back to timing vaccines correctly and administering them to healthy animals before the risk period. Fore example, early pneumonia vaccines for young calves can reduce risk of infection. This is why intranasal vaccines are often used in young calves.
Don’t give vaccines to animals after periods of stress such as directly after purchase, transport or dehorning, as you will not get the same immune response. Ideally, wait 24 hours after animals arrive on farm to administer vaccines.
Live versus dead vaccines
Dead vaccines contain a dead component of the pathogen we are vaccinating against. They often require two shots a certain number of weeks apart. They typically will give a slower immune response, often after the second booster is given. They then usually require an annual booster.
Live vaccines contain a tiny component of the agent being vaccinated against. This is too little to cause disease but enough to develop an immune response.
They can be given intranasally or into the muscle and have a quicker immune response although often for a shorter period of time.
Examples of live vaccines are intranasal pneumonia vaccines that can be administered to calves.
Store them correctly
This is where we often fall down in Irish farms. Vaccines must be stored correctly to make sure they work when given. Every farm should have a fridge set at between 2°C and 4°C to store vaccines correctly. When removing your vaccine from cold storage, avoid heat and direct sunlight and ideally use them quickly.
Ask your vet which vaccines can be given together; most vaccines need to be given on their own to allow for the full immunological response. Farmers should really sit down with their own vet to draw up a farm-specific vaccination plan.
Use the correct equipment when using vaccines
Administer them by the correct route
This is another area where we need to improve on. Vaccines are designed to be administered by a specific route. Read the label carefully and ensure that you are using the correct administration techniques. This may include correct reconstitution where powder and water need to be mixed. Also, dirty needles may inactivate and damage the vaccine. At the very least keep one clean needle in the vaccine bottle.
Match the vaccine to the risk
We can’t vaccinate for everything as this often doesn’t always make economic sense. You do, however, need to make sure you have some idea what diseases pose a risk on your farm. The use of diagnostics may help identify viral pneumonia or fertility issues. Otherwise, we can look at what diseases might be contributing to problems. For example, footrot in sheep can be aided by vaccination if timed correctly.
Did you get value for money?
This is the big question. As vaccines often act like an insurance policy, it may be difficult to say we got value for money. While when they are used to control or improve an existing problem like pneumonia, it is easier to see the value.
Salmonella vaccination is a risk for lots of farms but often farmers use it without having had problems previously. All I can say on this one is that once salmonella affects a herd, it can be devastating, and vaccination is not costly then. Again I encourage farmers to work with their vets to assess their salmonella risk.
Other measures
Vaccines alone won’t solve disease issues and must be used in conjunction with better management and good husbandry. Relying on vaccines on their own is a false economy.
Is it a vaccine?
Proper vaccines take five to eight years to develop and are backed by science (they have to be to get licensed). It has come to my attention recently that some homeopathic vaccines are being used. A vaccine will usually require a prescription before it is administered. Make sure you check the science behind any products used on your farm.
Is it working?
Vaccines aren’t bulletproof and if you aren’t getting the desired results, ask the question why? The first place to start is checking the above list to make sure we have used them correctly. We often blame vaccines where it might have been human error.
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