NSA webinar to address ongoing vaccine shortages in sheep sector
26th September 2023
The National Sheep Association (NSA) is inviting farmers to join a free webinar next month discussing the reason behind ongoing vaccine shortages in the industry, the implications for animal health and what to do if supplies become unavailable.
As farmers continue to experience issues sourcing essential vaccines, the webinar will provide a useful opportunity to understand more about the complications and impacts on animal health as well as to hear from experts on what to do if farmers are unable to access vaccines.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “This webinar will provide a fuller update on the vaccine availability situation across the UK, giving a chance to attendees to hear and ask questions over alternative strategies to reduce disease risk.”
For over a year, problems with supply have persisted across many vaccines, including those preventing clostridial and pasteurella disease, abortion, lameness and orf, with some more acutely affected than others.
NSA has been in regular contact with manufacturing companies to try to help resolve the shortages seen across the country, as well as writing to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Lord Benyon, minister of state at Defra.
More recently, the organisation has written to Sir Robert Goodwill as chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee, suggesting this would be a useful topic for them to investigate.
Commenting on the upcoming webinar, which is part of the NSA Breakfast Club series, Mr Stocker said:
“In this NSA Breakfast Club, we will hear from Jonathon Statham – chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England Committee – who will discuss the reasons why we are seeing a shortage across supply chains, how it might be rectified, and how long this might take to resolve, as well as the wider long term impacts this shortage might have across the livestock industry.
“We will also hear from Dr Joe Henry – specialist beef and sheep vet (Black Sheep Vets) on management practices, how to mitigate long-term impacts and what to do if you can’t access vaccines along with what should be classed as priority stock and how you can move towards overcoming some impacts of a vaccine shortage across industry.”
The webinar, titled ‘Vaccines, why we can’t get them and how to manage the implications’, is free to join and will take place on Wednesday 4th October at 8.30am. To register for the event, visit the NSA website here.
