Webinar to give advice on sheep vaccine shortages
The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 4 October.
The National Sheep Association has announced that October’s Breakfast Club webinar will look at the shortages of sheep vaccines.
Jonathon Statham, chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England Commitee, will speak about the reasons for supply chain issues and how the problems might be resolved. He will also look at the long-term effects the current shortage might have.
He will be joined by Dr Joe Henry, a specialist beef and sheep veterinary surgeon, who will talk about how to mitigate the long-term impact of the vaccine shortage and what farmers can do if they can’t access vaccines.
In the past year, there have been supply issues with vaccines that prevent clostridial diseases, Pasteurellosis, abortion, lameness and orf.
In response, NSA has been in contact with manufacturing companies to try to resolve the shortages, as well as raising the issue with the Government at ministerial level. Recently, NSA wrote to Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ((EFRA) select committee, suggesting the committee should investigate the problem.
NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA has endeavoured to keep its members and other UK sheep farmers up to date on the ongoing difficulties felt in sourcing vaccines via its NSA publications and online engagement.
“This webinar will add to this providing a fuller update on the vaccine availability situation across the UK, giving a a chance to attendees to hear and ask questions over alternative strategies to reduce disease risk.”
The webinar, which will be free to join, takes place at 8.30am on Wednesday, 4 October. Those interested in attending can register online.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
