Become a Livestock Vaccination Champion on World Animal Vaccination Day
19th April 2024
This World Animal Vaccination Day, NOAH (National Office of Animal Health) is calling on vets and farmers to sign up to become a Livestock Vaccination Champion here https://www.noahlvg.co.uk.
World Animal Vaccination Day takes place each year on 20 April, reminding everyone of the importance of vaccines to any animal health plan or programme. Disease prevention through vaccination helps ensure that animals do not have to suffer unnecessarily, and that farmers do not have to cull herds to control and/or stamp out preventable disease. Vaccinating animals can also slow further spread and prevent disease transmission between species.
NOAH’s Livestock Vaccination Guideline, drafted by veterinary experts, provides practical guidance for vets, SQPs and farmers based on current veterinary clinical experience and research in relation to dairy, beef and sheep. It supports tailored appropriate vaccination programmes at a flock or herd level to help realise the true potential of vaccination across these sectors, introducing the concept of two categories of vaccination to support head and flock health planning.
Dawn Howard, NOAH’s Chief Executive explains: “We believe this resource is invaluable to support the health and welfare ambitions of UK livestock farmers. It demonstrates a proactive, best practice approach to vaccination in these sectors to enable farmers and veterinarians to make decisions to ensure that animals are protected from disease, their health and welfare is safeguarded, and they remain productive.”
Within the Guideline, diseases which fall under Category 1 vaccinations are considered to be ‘core’ as they potentially pose a threat to all cattle and sheep in the UK. That is not to say that every animal should receive every Category 1 vaccine, . butut the Guideline suggests that , the planning decision is switched from ‘why vaccinate?’ to ‘why not vaccinate?’ when drawing up the plan.
Category 2 vaccinations are for diseases for which the level of threat to herd or flock health and welfare will vary on an individual farm basis. Decisions on the appropriateness of using all vaccinations should be based on the health status of the animals, their welfare, their productivity and the cost benefits of vaccinating against each disease.
Notes for Editors
For more information, please contact George-Town@noah.co.uk or see www.noah.co.uk
NOAH represents the UK animal health industry. We promote the benefits of licensed medicines and solutions for the health and welfare of all animals.
NOAH’s Livestock Vaccination Guideline is available at https://www.noah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NOAH-Livestock-Vaccination-Guideline-August-2022.pdf
It was written by Jonathan Statham (Dairy), Joseph Henry (Beef) and Fiona Lovatt (Sheep).