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VACCINES - SHEEP& GOATS

Note for Farmers:

This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your stock are ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your animals.

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Description
Vaccines provide animals with protection against serious infectious diseases or toxins. They can work in several ways :

  • Passive Immunity - antiserum (ready-made antibodies) is injected into the animal to immediately attack the infection. Immunity of this type is only short-acting as long as the antibodies are active in the blood, usually 3-12 weeks. An example of this type of vaccine is antiserum against Clostridium perfringens
  • Active Immunity - injecting live or organisms (or fragments of the organism, or inactivated toxins) into an animal stimulates the animals immune system to produce antibodies against the infectious agent or toxin in the vaccine. Most sheep and goat vaccines are of this type and they are used against bacteria, viruses or parasites. Protection generally lasts longer with live vaccines than with killed vaccines 

Interference with the development of immunity following vaccination can occur in certain circumstances :

Sheep & Goat Vaccines Available in the UK

Sheep and goats in the UK can be vaccinated against :

  • Chlamydia (causes abortion)
  • Clostridial infections (causes of several important diseases : Black disease, blackleg, bacillary haemoglobinuria, braxy, lamb dysentery, metritis, post-parturient gangrene, pulpy kidney, struck and  tetanus
  • Escherichia coli (a bacterial infection)
  • Erysipelas 
  • Footrot (a bacterial infection)
  • Louping Ill ( a virus transmitted by ticks)
  • Orf
  • Pasteurella (a bacterial infection)
  • Salmonella (a bacterial infection)
  • Toxoplasmosis (causes abortion)

Vaccines can either be given individually or in combination together.

Details of individual vaccinations can be found by referring to each disease information sheet. 

Contraindications
Sheep and Goats  should not be vaccinated if they  :

  • Are not well
  • Have a high body temperature
  • Are within 6 weeks of having been given corticosteroids or other drugs that can reduce the immune response
  • Have been treated with antibiotics which might affect the live organisms in a vaccine
  • Stressed

Side Effects
There are a number of side-effects that may be seen following vaccination, including the following :

  • The organisms in live vaccines can sometimes cause mild signs of the disease and they can be transferred to other animals in a herd and cause mild signs of disease in them as well
  • Live vaccines may damage the fetus in pregnant animals, so they should not be used in pregnant animals if a killed vaccine is available.
  • Some live vaccines can result in a long term "latent" infection which may affect blood tests and have implications on the future movement of animals
  • Vaccines can cause a local reaction and irritation at the site of injection
  • Hair loss, and sometimes a change of hair/wool colour can occur at the injection site
  • If the vaccine is administered by injection without cleaning the skin surface infection may be introduced into the site resulting in abscess formation
  • Rarely an individual animal may show a severe shock (anaphylactic) reaction following vaccination. Prompt veterinary attention is needed or the animals life can be at risk.

Storage
Vaccines will lose their potency if they are not stored properly. They should be stored as specified by the manufacturers, and usually this will require storage in a refrigerator at 2-8o C. Most vaccines should not be frozen, and they should not be allowed to come into contact with direct sunlight, or disinfectants.

Administration
Vaccines can be administered by various routes, but subcutaneous or intramuscular injection is the most common route. The intranasal route is used for some vaccines against respiratory diseases.

The skin at the injection site should be cleaned and wiped with spirit, and sterile syringes and needles should always be used . Repeated use of the same needle increases the risk of transmission of disease between animals and should be discouraged.

Health and Safety Considerations
All sharps used in the vaccination process (glass vials, needles etc) should be placed into an approved sharps box, and be disposed of by an approved method.

Vaccines should be handled with care, and every precaution should be taken to avoid accidental injection of the person administering the vaccine, or an assistant restraining the animal.

Vaccines that are oil-based cause a severe, painful swelling if self-injected and they can result in loss of a finger due to reduced blood supply caused by the vaccine.

Some live vaccines are potential harmful to people, for example toxoplasmosis vaccine should not be handled by pregnant women, young fertile women, or people with poor immune systems. Protective gloves and eye goggles should be worn when handling these vaccines.

 

Frequency of Administration
 The frequency of administration of vaccines depends on several factors including the following :

  • the type of vaccine
  • the age of the animal
  • the circumstances under which the vaccine is being given, and 
  • the route of administration. 

The following table gives a list of Sheep & Goat vaccines available in the UK, but individual recommendations may change from time to time, so veterinary advice should always be sought.

Vaccine Against Type of vaccine and route of administration Vaccination Protocol
Chlamydial infection (C.psittaci) - causes enzootic ovine abortion and weak lambs

A zoonosis.

 Live or inactivated vaccines given by injection  Ewe lambs - vaccinate from 5 months of age. Others are vaccinated either in the 16 week to 4 week period before mating (live vaccine) or 4 weeks before mating (inactivated vaccine)

Do not vaccinate pregnant ewes.

Protective gloves and goggles should be worn when handling the vaccine

Pregnant women should not handle the vaccine or come into contact with sheep at lambing or milking
Clostridial (bacterial) infections - cause several important diseases including : black disease, blackleg, bacillary haemoglobinuria, braxy, lamb dysentery, metritis, post-parturient gangrene, pulpy kidney, struck and  tetanus Mixed killed Clostridial vaccines by injection 

Antitoxins - give passive protection which lasts for only 3-4 weeks

 Lambs from unvaccinated ewes should be given a dose before 2 weeks of age and a second dose 4-6 weeks later, and a booster vaccination in the autumn or every 6 months.

Lambs from vaccinated ewes are given their first dose at 12-16 weeks of age, and a second dose 4-6 weeks later.

Adult sheep are given 2 doses with an interval of 4-6 weeks between them, timed so that the final dose is given 3-4 weeks before lambing.

Booster vaccines are recommended every year 2-4 weeks before lambing.

Goats are given 2 doses with an interval of 3-6 weeks between them, timed so that the last dose is given 2-4 weeks before a risk period, and yearly boosters are advised.

 
E.Coli , Pasteurella  and Salmonella - bacterial infections that cause diarrhoea (scours or enteritis)

Zoonoses

 Antiserum - given to animals during periods of risk Given by injection

Antisera plus inactivated vaccine combinations. Given by injection.

 At risk lambs are given antiserum soon after birth then every 10-14 days.

2 doses of vaccine are given with a 14-21 interval between them and pregnant ewes should be given their second dose 3 weeks before lambing. 

Yearly boosters are given 3-4 weeks before lambing
Erysipelas - a bacterial infection that causes joint infection and septicaemia Inactivated vaccine given by injection. 2 doses are given with an interval of 2-6 weeks between them, timed so that the second dose is given to pregnant ewes 3 weeks before lambing.
Footrot - caused by the bacteria  Dichelobacter nodosus (Bacteroides and Fusiformis) Inactivated vaccine given by injection Lambs - vaccinate a 4 weeks of age and a second dose after 4-8 weeks.

Adult sheep - 2 doses 4-8 weeks apart. Pregnant ewes should not be vaccinated during a period from 4 weeks before to 4 weeks after lambing. 

Vaccination should be avoided within 6-8 weeks of shearing, and within 6 months of sale  because wool at the vaccination site may be discoloured.

This vaccine should not be given to ewes providing milk for human consumption..

Booster vaccination is advised every 4-6 months
Louping Ill - caused by a flavivirus transmitted by ticks. Inactivated vaccine given by injection Lambs can be vaccinated from 8-12 weeks of age. 

In sheep and goats a single dose is given timed to be 4 weeks before exposure to tick-infested pastures and at least 4 weeks before lambing/kidding.

Booster vaccination is only needed every 2 years.
Orf (Contagious Pustular Dermatitis or scabby mouth) - a parapoxvirus

A zoonosis

 Live vaccine, applied by scarification (scraped into the skin) Lambs (from 1-2 days of age) and adult sheep are vaccinated 3-4 weeks before risk period.

Booster vaccination is given every 5-12 months depending upon local factors.

The vaccine should not be given to pregnant ewes in the last 8 weeks of pregnancy.

Vaccinated sheep shed virus after vaccination and must be kept away from unvaccinated stock. for 8 weeks after vaccination.

Protective gloves should be worn when handling the vaccine and care should be taken to avoid contact with lesions in infected animals...especially cover any scratches or cuts on the surface of the skin.

 
Pasteurella - cause pneumonia or septicaemia Antiserum given by injection

Inactivated vaccines given by injection

These vaccines are sometimes combined with other vaccines eg against E.coli, Salmonella.

 

 Antiserum is given to lambs or kids soon after birth and repeated doses can be given every 10-14 days during high risk periods.

In adults 2 doses are given 4 weeks apart timed so that the last vaccine is given 3-4 weeks before a high is period...eg lambing

Revaccination may be needed throughout an outbreak of the disease, otherwise early booster vaccination is advised.

 
Toxoplasmosis - causes abortion or weak lambs

A zoonosis

 A live vaccine given by injection Ewe lambs are vaccinated from 5 months of age. Others are vaccinated within 16 weeks of mating, but not less than 3 weeks before mating.

Pregnant ewes should not be vaccinated.

Booster vaccinations are advised every 2 years.

Protective gloves and eye goggles should be worn when handling the vaccine

Pregnant women should not handle the vaccine or come into contact with sheep at lambing or milking

 

 

Withdrawal Periods
 Sheep and goats can not be sent for slaughter and milk may not be sent for human consumption after the administration of some medications. Vaccines usually have a withdrawal period of nil for slaughter and milk. Exceptions are the following :

Footrot vaccine - should not be given to dairy sheep

Toxoplasmosis vaccine -  for slaughter for human consumption the withdrawal period is 6 weeks following vaccination