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I took the decision earlier in the year to vaccinate based on the fact that there had been no significant progress with this disease apart from vaccination and that to not vaccinate was in the longer term cheaper financially than to deal with an unexpected outbreak. Given that figures are readily available as well as distribution maps I will be making any future decisions based on what happens to these maps and figures over the next couple of years. If it is possible to see a natural immunity develop and the disease not radically break out again I may consider not vaccinating. The lambs are getting their doses now, quite late in the year but I vaccinate my ewes later prefering to do it after they have lambed. I also vaccinate all my rams. To date the only year I felt I had any problems was when the ewes were vaccinated in the heat of the day during a stressful round up ( several break outs) and the following day the sheep were noticeably off. Fertility wise considering my rams are done, all my ewes took this last breeding season bar one, this was over five different rams. For me the plus to vaccinating this year is a combined 1 & 8 vaccine and not two separate injections and being able to do it in my own time and not be reliant on a vet visit. I'll post the updated maps for this summer when they are available it will be interesting to see how things develop.
