Sheep breeding attracts an increasing number of novice farmers who have appreciated the benefits of raising these animals on their farm. However, improper care can lead to serious diseases and loss of livestock, which will incur financial losses. In particular, an important point is the vaccination of sheep, the intricacies of which every sheep breeder should know.
Sheep vaccination: why and how often to do
Vaccination of sheep is a mandatory preventive measure that helps protect animals from serious infectious diseases. The fact is that when a virus enters the body for the first time, the immune system quickly produces antibodies to fight. A vaccine is also a virus, only in a weak form.. Its main task is to “teach” the body to cope with danger. If you do all the necessary vaccinations, the sheep’s body will be ready for protection in the event of a possible attack of any infection, and there are a lot of dangers.
Sheep and rams are herd animalsTherefore, the advantage of vaccination lies in the fact that it protects not only one individual, but also those around them. If 80-90% of the herd are vaccinated – the infectious disease will not spread – herd immunity will work. Thanks to vaccinations, which have been carried out for more than 100 years, the spread of such serious diseases as anthrax, rabies, smallpox, etc. has been significantly reduced.
Did you know? The vaccine was first used on animals at the end of the XNUMXth century. Its composition was bred by the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who is the founder of the science of immunology.
Vaccines are prepared at special facilities from microbes and their metabolic products. Vaccinations are done by veterinarians who keep records and also ensure that the established schedule is observed, depending on the age of the animal. Inventories are compiled for all vaccinated animals, which are stored in the veterinary department for 2 years.
Immunity after vaccination occurs, as a rule, after 10 days and lasts about a year. After vaccination, minor side effects may occur: swelling at the injection site, fever. You should not be afraid of this – the symptoms will pass in 2-3 days.
Vaccination schedule
It is more profitable for any owner to buy a vaccine and vaccinate an animal on time than to incur losses in its treatment or slaughter (many diseases proceed at lightning speed, so late help may no longer be effective). “A pound of prevention is worth a pound of treatment,” these are the words of the great scientist Pirogov, which are completely true.
Despite the fact that veterinarians follow the schedule, owners of small ruminants should also be aware of the vaccination schedule and not miss the next vaccinations against diseases such as rabies, smallpox, brucellosis, anthrax, bradzot, tuberculosis, tetanus.
Important! Before vaccination, the animal must undergo a thorough medical examination. It is forbidden to vaccinate clinically weakened and sick animals.
Newborn lambs
Newborn lambs need immunity against dysentery, especially in areas where it can progress. To develop it, a pregnant sheep is vaccinated. The first vaccination is carried out 3-4 weeks before lambing, and the second – 10 days after the first.
The procedure must be carried out carefully to avoid mechanical abortion. As a result of such double vaccination, the vaccinated sheep develops active immunity. Newborn lambs receive passive immunity through milk.
At the age of 1 month, lambs are vaccinated against leptospirosiswhich is repeated after 6 months. If the sheep that gave birth to the lamb was vaccinated the day before, the newborn will remain immune for 1,5 months after birth, so the first vaccine can be administered no earlier than this age.
Lambs and young
When the lamb reaches 3 months of age, he is vaccinated against anthraxwhich is then repeated six months later. At 10–12 weeks of age, vaccination against rabies is done, with a regular repetition of the procedure every other year.
Beginning from 3 months, young animals are given the smallpox vaccine, which is repeated after 14 days, and then revaccinated after 6 months. According to a similar schedule, they are vaccinated against the plague.
Young ewes at the age of 3–5 months are vaccinated against the threat of brucellosis. Immunity is maintained for 2 years, then revaccination is necessary.
Adults
Adults must be vaccinated 2 times a year – in the spring and autumn from anthrax, bradzot infection, enterotoxemia. Adults are vaccinated against smallpox every year. To prevent the danger of plague, adult sheep and rams are given the appropriate vaccine every 3 years.
Adults are vaccinated against leptospirosis once a year. From such serious illnesses as infectious hepatitis, tetanus, vaccinations are also done at intervals of 1 year. Adults are vaccinated against brucellosis once every 1 years for 2 years. If the region where the animals are located is classified as unfavorable and the risk of infection is quite high, the frequency of vaccination can be increased up to 1 time per year.
Important! After vaccination, immunity in animals is developed after 12–14 days. During this period, it is important to provide them with favorable conditions and high-quality nutrition, do not bathe, and make sure that individuals do not overcool.
Diseases
There are quite a few diseases that can affect sheep. Among them are distinguished:
- non-contagious – non-transmissible ailments, often caused by improper care (arthritis, bronchopneumonia, conjunctivitis, etc.);
- parasitic – timely disinfection of pastures and stalls (tick-borne encephalitis, helminthiasis, psoroptosis) will help to avoid the danger of disease with them;
- infectious – the most severe type of disease, most of which are difficult to treat.
It is infectious diseases that require preventive vaccination of animals at different stages of growth. Sheep breeders must be aware of the main symptoms of diseases in order to be able to take action in time.
Sheeppox
Smallpox is an acute disease that is transmitted very quickly by airborne droplets, as well as through feed, manure, and animal care items. Smallpox is characterized by symptoms of intoxication, difficulty breathing, fever, the appearance of a papular rash on the skin and mucous membranes (first on the head, lips, and then on the inner surfaces of the limbs). Mortality from this disease is very high, especially among young animals.
A sick animal is isolated from the herd, provide good care for him. Antibiotics, ointments that soften pockmarks are used for treatment, ulcers are cauterized with iodine solution
anthrax
An extremely transient disease that is instantly transmitted to both other rams and sheep, and to humans. The microbial pathogen enters the body of an animal along with food, water or infected grass. The disease manifests itself with ulcers on the body, cyanosis of the eye membranes, and high fever. With a lightning-fast course, death convulsions are possible.
It is impossible to cure the disease on your own – here you will need veterinary help. Serum is administered to the animal, injections of gamma globulin and antibiotics of the penicillin group are made.
Rabies
One of the most dangerous diseases that does not have an effective treatment – the animal is isolated from the herd and slaughtered. The disease affects the central nervous system, is transmitted through saliva. Manifested in the early stages of hoarse mooing, loss of appetite, improper coordination of movements. In the later ones – increased aggression, inflicting severe injuries on oneself, throwing on a leash. The danger also lies in the fact that not only her compatriots, but also a person can become infected from a rabid sheep.
Plague
Plague in sheep and rams is predominantly acute. It can be determined by symptoms such as ulcerative lesions of the mucous membranes, including conjunctivitis, as well as the development of pneumonia. The disease is transmitted by the respiratory route and directly through contaminated feed, animal care items.
Did you know? Plague-stricken animals were used as biological weapons during the Middle Ages. Their corpses contaminated water sources and water supply systems.
The method of curing the disease has not been developed. In case of detection of a sick individual, not only its destruction is carried out, but also the entire susceptible livestock.
Leptospirosis
The disease has several forms, including acute, chronic and asymptomatic. In adult animals, it often occurs without symptoms, and in young animals it is in an acute form. The first signs are fever and blood in the urine. The disease is characterized by fever, anemia, jaundice, kidney damage, and spontaneous abortion or stillbirth.
An animal with leptospirosis is isolated from the herd and treated by injecting the antibiotic streptomycin for 5 days.
Ringworm
Trichophytosis (ringworm) can overtake sheep and rams when they reach the age of two. This severe fungal disease is characterized by the appearance on the skin of round hairless spots covered with yellow-gray crusts, causing itching. In severe form, purulent inflammation of the skin can form. The disease spreads rapidly and can be transmitted to humans.
The fungus is transferred by direct contact with sick individuals during mating, long touch, as well as with dust, air, drops of water.
Sick animals are isolated and treated with vaccines, which are administered intramuscularly at intervals of one and a half to two weeks. The recovered individual develops long-term immunity
infectious hepatitis
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver characterized by fever and damage to the central nervous system. The disease can be asymptomatic or acute. In the first case, the animal dies quickly when convulsions appear, and in the second case, one can observe fever, vomiting, the development of conjunctivitis, and weakness of the hind limbs.
Antibiotics, symptomatic agents are used as treatment, provide good nutrition to animals
Microsporia
Microsporia is an infectious disease manifested by inflammatory processes of the skin with shedding of wool. In sheep, it occurs in two forms – cutaneous and general. It is transmitted through care items, feed, equipment contaminated with wool, as well as through direct contact with sick animals.
For treatment, the antibiotic “Griseofulvin” is prescribed, which is given to the animal for 10-15 days, as well as vitamins and salicylic ointment
Ectima
Ecthyma is an acute infectious disease that affects the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, scalp, limbs, and mammary glands. It is characterized by the appearance of nodules and crusts. For treatment, the drug “Cidofovir” is used – the affected mucous and skin areas are treated with this spray. Also used for processing glycerin or 5% iodine solution.
Brucellosis
The peculiarity of this infectious disease is the almost complete absence of symptoms, with the exception of a miscarriage in a pregnant sheep. The infection can be transmitted to humans. When purchasing a new animal, before sending it to the herd, you should check it with a veterinarian for the presence of Brucella bacteria in the body.
In sheep, brucellosis manifests itself in the form of an inflammatory process in the testes and their appendages – in these places you can feel small lumps. In such individuals, the reproductive function is significantly reduced.
Breeding sheep is an interesting and quite profitable occupation, but only proper care and, of course, timely vaccination of animals will contribute to the increase in the number of livestock, its successful development and healthy generation.
