When to use covexin 8

roosky

Hi my ewes are due to start lambing in or around the 5th of march, and teh bulk will be lambed in two weeks .

On teh covexin8 box it says do the vaccine from 3-6 weeks pre lambing but a vet said at a meeting that you need them done 4 weeks pre lambing. I just dont want to leave my late ewes uncoverd .

Should I vaccinate this sat (-4 weeks) or next sat (-3 weeks)

thanks

Username John

roosky wrote: »

Hi my ewes are due to start lambing in or around the 5th of march, and teh bulk will be lambed in two weeks .

On teh covexin8 box it says do the vaccine from 3-6 weeks pre lambing but a vet said at a meeting that you need them done 4 weeks pre lambing. I just dont want to leave my late ewes uncoverd .

Should I vaccinate this sat (-4 weeks) or next sat (-3 weeks)

thanks

My understanding was they should be done 4 - 6 weeks pre tupping. So if i was you I'd do them this coming Sat.
This would be 4 weeks for the ones lambing first and up, to 6 weeks for the later ones. I think you need a minimum amount of time between injecting them, and the immunity being present and passed onto the lamb as well.

I'm no expert on this - but that's what I'll be doing anyways...

Conmaicne Mara

It's a rather complicated instruction sheet (providing this is the correct one):

http://www.imb.ie/images/uploaded/swedocuments/LicenseSPC_10019-115-001_31102012162936.pdf

Use during pregnancy: In lambing flocks, to ensure maximum protection of the lambs until 12 weeks of age,
previously vaccinated ewes are best injected 2 weeks before lambing is due to commence. However, provided lambing
in the group will not extend beyond a 6 week period, previously vaccinated pregnant ewes may be injected at any time
from 6 to 2 weeks before the group is due to commence lambing.

Seems between 6 - 2 weeks before lambing is the time.

Looking at this Saturdays forecast, I hope you have them inside if you intend doing it then.

Lano Lynn

I use heptavac p .25 years ago a very experienced shepherd impressed upon me that ewes should not be handled (race)so close to lambing (2 weeks)he always had all treatments completed at least 4weeks and preferably 6weeks before.took the advice on board and have less losses that could be attributed to handling reduced (even with good handling facilites).Don't have any other problems as a result of vaccination date.
lambs given 2ml at first worming

rancher

Lano Lynn wrote: »

I use heptavac p .25 years ago a very experienced shepherd impressed upon me that ewes should not be handled (race)so close to lambing (2 weeks)he always had all treatments completed at least 4weeks and preferably 6weeks before.took the advice on board and have less losses that could be attributed to handling reduced (even with good handling facilites).Don't have any other problems as a result of vaccination date.
lambs given 2ml at first worming

I was getting lameness in two or three week old lambs, wasn't sore feet or joint ill and an adviser told me that vaccinating too near lambing affects the lambs immunity and what they had was a mild form of arthritis which is an immune system illness. He told me not to vaccinate within a month of lambing and that seems to have sorted the problem. I now go at 4-6 weeks

Lano Lynn

thats a new one for me rancher.

remember a few years ago a problem with ewes having fluke damage not being able to cope with vaccination? think they died......normal sheep reaction..

rancher

Lano Lynn wrote: »

thats a new one for me rancher.

remember a few years ago a problem with ewes having fluke damage not being able to cope with vaccination? think they died......normal sheep reaction..

I was amused at a farmer when he told me about the effect that the vaccinations were having on his babies saying that they weren't right for a week after some of them and then in the next breath saying he never bothered vaccinating his ewes but did the lambs at birth.
The poor little things trying to build up their own immunity and the farmer puts in an 8 in 1 vaccine.
some people haven't a clue.
Don't know about that arthritis thing, but I had a lameness prob for 2or3 yr and it stopped, maybe it was going to go away anyway

roosky

ya I might actually split the vaccination and do teh few later ones in a week or a forthnight it probably the safest option