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Sheep organisations release advice amidst EAE vaccine shortage
SVS and SAGG say that it is not appropriate to use any routine prophylactic antibiotics to control abortion.
The guidance will support vets and farmers this tupping season.

The Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) and the Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group (SAGG) have issued advice for veterinary surgeons and farmers, as they criticise the lack of enzootic abortion (EAE) vaccine.

The advice offers support to veterinary surgeons and farmers, who may now need to make difficult decisions during tupping season.

On encountering an aborting ewe, veterinary surgeons and farmers are first recommended to isolate the ewe from the rest of the flock. Samples can then be taken to identify which abortion agent might be responsible.

SVS and SAGG say that it is not appropriate to use any routine prophylactic antibiotics to control abortion. They say that antibiotics should only be used in late pregnancy if it is to protect other ewes from an outbreak, or used in a group of ewes following a confirmed laboratory EAE diagnosis the preceding year.

Where flocks have previously been regularly vaccinated against EAE, there will this year be a small number of unvaccinated replacement ewes. The risk to these ewes is low if the remainder of the flock is vaccinated, but they should be marked and vaccinated next year when they are not pregnant.

If flocks are at high risk of disease, due to a recent outbreak or EAE-shedding ewes, sheep could be treated with an inactivated vaccine (Inmeva; Hipra).

Two doses are necessary – the first dose at least five weeks before mating, and the second dose three weeks after the first. A further booster may then be needed within a year. The vaccine can be given safely during pregnancy, with efficacy proven in the mid trimester, but it is not recommended in the final month of pregnancy.

Alternatively, if unvaccinated ewes are confirmed by a laboratory to be at high risk of disease, they can be treated with a single injection of oxytetracycline (at 20mg/kg) between day 91 and 126 of pregnancy.

Groups with lambing spread across four to five weeks should be injected exactly three weeks before the first lamb is due.

Veterinary surgeons are advised to contact MSD Animal Health for more information.

Image © Shutterstock

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Free CPD announced for BVNA members

News Story 1
 Zoetis is to present a CPD event for free to members of the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).

Led by veterinary consultant Ruth Moxon, the one-hour online session is designed to help veterinary nurses discuss parasiticide options with clients. It will advise on structuring recommendations, factors for product choice and moving away from 'selling'.

'How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?' will be presented on Tuesday, 20 May at 7.30pm. It is free for BVNA members, with £15.00 tickets for non-members.

Veterinary nurses can email cpd@bvna.co.uk to book their place. 

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News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.