Plan, prevent, protect: optimal sheep vaccination

Vaccination is an integral part of progressive preventative flock health management. It sits within a toolbox of measures, which include good biosecurity and nutrition, to effectively prevent or control disease on farm. NOAH (the National Office of Animal Health) has produced a livestock vaccination guideline to support vets, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs)/Registered Animal Medicines Advisors (RAMAs) and farmers to make informed decisions on vaccination use and manage the health and welfare of sheep (NOAH, 2022).

The decision to vaccinate sheep is primarily motivated by animal welfare and the wish to optimise health by giving sheep the best chance to be free from avoidable disease. If optimum protection from all disease were the only driver, then there would be no need for debate as to which diseases to vaccinate against, or the level of risk required to motivate vaccination. However, most sheep flocks are kept as commercial ventures that need to be economically sustainable. There is a balance to be struck between optimum flock welfare, performance and productivity. In most cases there is no conflict between the three and almost always a compromise in welfare occurs to the detriment of both performance and productivity. However, to maintain the economic viability of a flock, it is important to carefully consider the cost–benefits of vaccinations and strategies over a sufficiently long period of time.