Vaccines must be stored and applied properly in order to be effective.
The UK animal health industry has pledged to work with farmers to drive forward a vaccines campaign next year.
The National Office of Animal Health (Noah) will raise awareness of how and why vaccines work and the range of diseases they protect against, review storage and administering of products and encourage the use of existing vaccines.
Noah chief executive Dawn Howard said vaccination of the UK’s calves and sheep against livestock diseases has risen to one of the highest levels in seven years.
“Farmers clearly understand the role of good welfare and husbandry in helping to reduce disease spread,” she said.
“However, research shows that farmers could be losing out, despite their best intentions, if vaccines are not stored properly or administered correctly.
“In this campaign we will focus on simple tips for storing and using vaccines.”
Noah’s storage tips include ensuring the fridge temperature is 2-8 degrees Celsius, storing vaccines in date order and using in sequence and only using vaccines which are in date.
