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Blue tongue Vaccination

Last updated April 2008

Vaccine is now readily available and there has been a comprehensive and encouraging uptake by our clients. For the small number that have not ordered, or those that require additional doses, some advice on ordering and an on-line ordering facility follows. Alternatively you can call your usual surgery and order by telephone. Vaccine orders need to be accompanied by CPH numbers as there will be regulation to ensure supply is only to areas where vaccination has been permitted.

Points to consider

• Dose is 1ml, and vaccine will be available in 20ml and 50ml bottles. The 20ml will be priced at £17.03+VAT (£20.01) and the 50ml £28.62+VAT (£33.63). Vaccine will be invoiced to clients in the normal way.
• Sheep require 1 dose, Cattle and other ruminants, 2 doses given at 3-week intervals
• Vaccine takes 3 weeks to work
• Minimum age at vaccination is 1 month
• Likely availability is late May/early June at the earliest.
• Once bottles are opened, they should be used within 8 hours
• For animals requiring two doses it is advisable to order both doses at the outset as continuity of supply cannot be guaranteed.

In order for vaccine success all suitable stock on farm should be vaccinated. Animals leaving the farm before the likely onset of immunity will not benefit from vaccination. We will take this order as a firm commitment as once supplied with vaccine it is non-returnable. 1ml multidose vaccinators will be available at a cost of £8.89+VAT.  We recommend the use of the Sterimatic system when doing multiple injections. Details on usage follow.

If you have further queries please telephone us.

ORDER YOUR BLUETONGUE

VACCINATION HERE

Further information on vaccine use

IMPORTANT: Please read full data sheet instructions fully before use

Key Points:

• Give 1ml dose by subcutaneous injection
• Allow to come up to ambient temperature before use
• Heat sensitive, so keep cool until need – if necessary use cool bag to store.
• Use within 8 hours of opening
• Sheep only require 1 dose
• Cattle require two given 3 weeks apart
• The vaccine it NOT LICENSED for use in other ruminants. Suggestion is that all other ruminants should be dosed according to the cattle regime (see also note on data sheet regarding test dosage)
• There is currently no information available on concurrent use of other vaccines, so this should be avoided.

Please note that the 20ml bottles will not deliver fully down a tube fed multidose vaccinator. Ideally these bottles should be used with either a top loading syringe gun or individual syringe doses drawn from the bottle. A sterilised bottle protector cap is available at a cost of £1.00 to clean the needle between vaccine withdrawals.

Notes overleaf regarding recording requirements and movement of animals post vaccination

If using the BTV 1ml vaccinator – points to note:

• Adjust screw adjuster at back of gun so that black lines in barrel line up and that 1ml is accurately administered
• Make sure that ‘feeder’ tube is firmly attached.

Plastic cradle supplied – fold this and out bottle in before attaching pipe -may need some force initially to get fitting over vaccine bottle cap. Attach tape to cradle so can put round one’s neck

• When starting hold syringe with needle upright and keep pulling trigger to draw vaccine into tube
• Syringe will continue to draw vaccine until empty.
• When using sterimatic system, unscrew nozzle of syringe, put sterimatic  1” needle on and then sterimatic sleeve. Then put cap into end of sleeve and twist off seal before using. Pushing sleeve against tent of skin of animal, withdraw it so that needle goes under skin – then push back of gun to deliver vaccine. Change cap and needle approx. every 100 injections.

Please not that BTV vaccination will need to be entered in the medicine book

MOVEMENT OF ANIMALS AFTER BTV VACCINATION.

Certification requirements depend on where the animals are to be moved. Full licensing requirements are available at

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/movements/index.htm

Movements to free areas will either involve veterinary certification of prescription and supply of vaccine, or certification of ADMINISTRATION by a veterinary surgeon (depending on zone). Vaccination will need to have been carried out by at more than 60 days prior to movement (less if additional blood testing done). Ear tag numbers of vaccinated animals to be moved will need to be recorded.