Page 24 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2022

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Page 24 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2022
P. 24

ºÚÁÏÉç research reveals the extent of


            suboptimal vaccination practice in sheep






            ºÚÁÏÉç research has revealed a large extent of suboptimal vaccination practice
            in the UK sheep sector and the impact of the lack of awareness of training for
            farmers. The project also identified the barriers farmers face accessing training.



                 he research offers valuable   Animal Science), set out to raise   The study also considered the
                 information for the industry   awareness of this important issue. In   barriers to training and identified
                 to help guide education of   doing so, they conducted an online survey  these to be: Time (45.6%), money
           Tvaccination technique. This       which was distributed to sheep farmers,   (35.8%), not being aware training
           will ultimately improve technique and   asking about their vaccination technique   courses existed (34.8%), feeling they
           storage, enhancing vaccination efficacy,   and storage.               already knew how to vaccinate safely
           animal welfare and reduce disease.   From the 370 respondents, the    and effectively (40.7%). Additionally,
           It could also help prevent wastage   survey found that only 26.1%     73.9% of respondents were unaware
           of valuable cuts of meat, improve   of participants identified the    of any training courses they could
           sustainability and increase profit   correct location for subcutaneous,   attend, highlighting the need for
           margins for farmers.                                                  advertising and promoting training
                                              38.0% for intradermal and 7.7%
           Vaccines are commonly used in sheep   for intramuscular vaccination   within the industry.
           farming to protect flocks from a variety   administration.            The study calls for more consistent
           of diseases, but the prevalence of   The study also revealed that just   messages on vaccination technique
           suboptimal technique is widely unknown   45.5% of respondents stored   and streamlining of training within
           in the industry, which can result in less   vaccines in a fridge specific to   the industry. It also highlights a need
           effective vaccinations and potential   veterinary medicines, 33.9% used   for more options for vaccination
           harm to animal welfare, including   a temperature logger and 6.4%     training to be clearly available to
           injection site lesions.                                               farmers. In addition, it highlights
                                              undertook daily fridge temperature
           The ºÚÁÏÉç team, led by Lauren Hall, a   checks. In addition, 45.5% of   the opportunities that vets have
           newly qualified veterinarian, alongside   respondents kept vaccines 48 hours   to support the improvement of
           Beth Reilly (Teaching Fellow in Clinical   or longer after first use and 11.1%   vaccination techniques and storage
           Farm Animal Management) and Dr Nicola   kept them until the next time they   through training farmers and even
           Blackie (Senior Lecturer in Production   planned to vaccinate.        the potential for interprofessional
                                                                                 collaboration to bridge this
                                                                                 knowledge gap.













                                                                                 Intradermal injection













                                                                                 Intramuscular injection

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