Blue tongue and calves

[helen salmon]

Hi,
We are due to give our cows and alpacas their blue tongue injections on sunday. My question is, should I be injecting the new calf which will be 3 days old? My inclination is not to, but I don't want to put her life at risk.
Helen

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Helen,

there are at least 3 brands of vaccine on the uk market, so I don't know what the instructions are for yours, but each supply should have a leaflet with the "data sheet" instructions on. Some specify not before 1 month old, Merial BTVpur8 which has mostly been used in Scotland says 3 months, so try to see your instructions. If you do not have them, ask you vet or if you post the brand I can tell you, or email me off board.

Duncan

[helen salmon]

Thanks Duncan.
My vet tells me she can't have the vaccine under a month old. I really didn't fancy doing it so young. Are there great risks for her from blue tongue?
Helen

[SteveM]

We gave our cows and calves (all over 1 month) the blue tongue vacine last weekend, calves will have a 2nd dose after 3 weeks.

My query is regarding our 3 cows yet to calve, will we need to vacinate the calves later in the year or will they pick it up through their mothers?

thanks

Steve M

[Broomcroft]

I have just been told that Meriel (or however you spell it) say do not inject until 3 months because the dam should have passed on a natural immunity for a while to the youngstock (although half a dozen who were born but were under a month old last year will be at risk). So, because we injected everything over a month old last August, we're not going to inject again for a while, not even the youngsters. By the time we come to inject, probably in July, loads of our lambs will have gone to market.

Has anyone else been told this?



Edited By Broomcroft on 1241509179