Farm Diary

- jobs for August

When you have pregnant livestock or newborns, there’s one simple thing you can do to ensure they stay healthy.

Vaccinations are simple jabs that will allow pregnant mothers to pass on immunity to their babies via their colostrum for 6-8 weeks. A vaccination schedule should then continue for young livestock to ensure a growing animal’s good health.

There are five sudden killers of healthy newborn calves, lambs, kids and cria (baby alpaca). Pulpy kidney, blackleg, malignant oedema, tetanus and black disease are all clostridial diseases, bacteria that quickly form exotoxins in an animal. There can be no outward symptoms; an animal can get sick and die in hours.

The bacteria are spore-forming. Spores can survive for years in soil, dust and water, and are also found on the skin of livestock. It usually takes something like an animal getting a bruise or a small cut which then allows the bacteria to strike.

Talk to your vet to get advice on the right vaccine to use. Generally, this is a ‘5in1’ product (covering the five main clostridials), or they may advise other options for specific needs. For example, some vaccine products contain minerals, others include injectible wormers, and some (eg 6in1, 7in1, 10in1) cover other, rarer clostridials.

The important thing is to get the timing right. Vaccination will be an initial injection, then a booster shot (usually 2-6 weeks later, depending on the product). There can be different products for adults and young livestock which is why it’s important to talk to your vet and get their recommendation.