Farmers and vets are struggling to get their hands on a popular calf-care product ahead of the main calving season.

Norbrook has confirmed that it is out of stock of Vitesel after vets reported a shortage of the product to farmers.

The vitamin E and selenium injection is used to treat white muscle disease; nutritional muscular dystrophy. It is also used to treat vitamin E or selenium deficiency syndrome in piglets, lambs and calves.

Farmers traditionally use it for calves who are not showing signs of vigour, who are struggling to suck or have joint problems. The Irish Farmers Journal understands that new Vitesel stocks will be available in April.

Lepto vaccine

Meanwhile the vaccine for leptospirosis, Leptavoid H, will not be available until September this year.

It is manufactured by MSD and is one of two leptospirosis vaccines on the market.

A spokesperson for MSD told the Irish Farmers Journal: “2019 demand for leptospirosis vaccines may exceed supply due to manufacturing capacity, with the last batches of Leptavoid H being distributed in January and resupply expected to resume in September 2019 by the latest.”

Farmers should consult their vet or herd health management professional for more information on vaccine supply and on specific management of the disease, MSD said.

Depending on levels of herd immunity and availability of vaccines, farmers are advised to vaccinate dairy herds ahead of beef/suckler herds. They are also advised to give priority to full primary vaccination of replacement heifers prior to breeding age over other cattle.

“We are trying to produce as much Spirovac as we can to make up the shortfall,” a spokesperson for Zoetis said.

Vaccine sales up

Sales of vaccines for ruminant animals have increased by 350% in the last eight years, a spokesperson for MSD told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“There is a huge move towards preventative medicines and herd health planning,” the spokesperson said.

“The dairy guys have been on this track for the last number of years. Beef and sheep are now on that track too, with knowledge transfer groups and herd health planning.”