Selenium Deficiency in Lambs

Selenium is an essential trace element required by sheep to help protect cells from damage and optimise the animal's immune response. Selenium deficiency in lambs can lead to a number of conditions which can significantly reduce productivity.
These include:

• White Muscle Disease (WMD) in lambs and weaners
• III-thrift in young sheep
• Poor growth rates in lambs (Reduced by 4-20%)
• Reduced wool growth (Reduced by 5-15%)

The vaccines within the Coopers Vaccine Range that contain selenium include:

• Tasvax 5 in I plus Selenium
  Vaccine for Lambs
• Guardian 3 in 1
  Vaccine for Sheep + Selenium for Lambs
• Guardian 6 in I
  Vaccine for Sheep + Selenium for Lambs

When administered at the recommended dose rate, the vaccines listed above will provide a therapeutic dose rate of 0.1 mg selenium (as sodium selenate)/kg bodyweight to a lamb weighing 10 kg. This makes these vaccines ideal to use on lambs at lamb marking to provide short term (6-12 weeks depending on the severity of the deficiency) supplementation with selenium.

It is not recommended that the vaccines listed above be used on heavier sheep to correct a selenium deficiency.
For example, a 50 kg ewe administered with 2 mL Guardian 6 in I plus selenium will only receive 20 % (0.02 mg selenium/kg bodyweight) of a therapeutic dose of selenium.

For effective long term selenium supplementation of ewes and for lambs that will be retained on the property (e.g. wethers, replacement ewes), it is recommended that these animals be treated with Coopers Permatrace® 3 Year Selenium Pellets for Sheep at anytime from 8 weeks of age and older.

Cheesy Gland is a bacterial disease of sheep caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Infection results in abscesses in lymph nodes of the body and internal organs, such as the lungs, liver, spleen or kidneys. Infection of superficial lymph nodes results in large abscesses which become obvious when they burst, or are cut by shearers. The abscesses can result in substantial losses in the sheep meat industry due to trimming or condemnation of carcasses.

Entry of the organism is thought to be through shearing cuts or other wounds, with infection occurring through contamination of these wounds in sheep yards or camps. Dipping may also be a source of infection of open wounds.

Infection with Cheesy Gland will result in a 0.21- 0.28 kg (4.1-6.6%) reduction in clean fleece weight in the first year of infection*.

The older an animal, the greater the chance that it is already infected. It is therefore important to vaccinate lambs to establish an early immunity to this disease. Like the clostridial diseases, it is important that sheep receive two initial vaccinations 4-6 weeks apart followed by an annual booster for maximum protection against Cheesy Gland.

To successfully control Cheesy Gland ALL sheep on the property must be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated sheep (e.g. Wethers) can act as a source of infection.

The Coopers Guardian vaccine products will all provide protection against Cheesy Gland. These products include:

• Coopers Guardian 3 in I Vaccine for Sheep Plus Selenium for Lambs
• Coopers Guardian 6 in I Vaccine for Sheep and Lambs
• Coopers Guardian 6 in I Vaccine for Sheep Plus Selenium for Lambs

The Guardian 3 in I vaccine provides protection against Cheesy Gland, Pulpy Kidney and Tetanus and may be used in areas where other clostridial diseases (e.g. black disease, swelled head in rams, blackleg and malignant oedema) are not considered to be a problem.

* Paton, M.W., Rose, I.R., Hart, R.A., Sutherland, S.S., Mercy, A.R., Ellis, T.M., and Dhaliwal, J.A. (1994). New infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis reduces wool production. Australian Veterinary Journal, 71, 47-49.

Correct Vaccination Technique and Instructions

Coopers Animal Health Vaccine Product Range - Product information and Spectrum of Efficacy