Farmers in the Free State will have to jump in quickly to vaccinate their lambs against the dreaded bluetongue disease, because by February it could already be too late…
Pieter-Daan Cilliers, chairperson of the Free State Animal Health Forum, is issuing this warning not only to sheep farmers in the Free State, but also to other farmers in summer rainfall regions.
Last year, Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) made limited supplies of the bluetongue vaccine available in the Free State.
It appears more vaccine is available this year, but farmers will have to hurry before the rains, which are expected to arrive in February.
Cilliers, who farms outside Philippolis in the southern Free State, says only about 25mm of rain has been measured in the area since November.
In contrast, parts of Limpopo, the North West and the northern parts of the country have had unusually high rainfall.
More rain means more mosquitoes
Bluetongue is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes to sheep as well as cattle.
“We are currently seeing abnormal weather patterns and according to all indications the Free State’s rain should come in February. If that were to happen, the sheep are at risk of also contracting footrot if they go into wet kraals.”
The bluetongue vaccine provided by OBP is administered in three phases. There must be about 10 days between each phase.
“Vaccine A offers protection against eight types of bluetongue, vaccine B against 10 and vaccine C also against eight. This covers the full spectrum of all 26 types of bluetongue disease. With 10 days between each application, it will take you about six weeks to fully vaccinate.”
He says farmers should actually be finished vaccinating by January.
“The guys who wake up a little late might still vaccinate in February, but by then the vaccination period is actually over.
“I sit on the porch in the evenings and just after 19:00 the mosquitoes start coming out everywhere. It’s dry and the mosquitoes are already active. When the rain comes, the dangers for sheep that haven’t been vaccinated will be that much higher.”