Schmallenberg Vaccine

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has announced that a vaccine against the Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) will be available to farmers in the UK for this summer.  The VMD has given the pharmaceutical company MSD Animal Health a licence to provide the new vaccine called ‘Bovilis SBV’.  The vaccine will be a year too late for many, but VMD and MSD Animal Health have sped-up the normal process to make the vaccine available for this summer, although they hasten to add this has not compromised the stringent tests it must go through.

The news will be greatly welcomed by the livestock industry.  The vaccine will allow UK farmers to vaccinate this summer before tupping time as it is exposure to the virus during pregnancy that affects the foetus.  Although it is not a notifiable disease, voluntary reports show that 1,753 farms throughout Great Britain have tested positive to the virus.  Producers will now have the choice whether to vaccinate or not.