Dear Member

It has come to the attention of the Joint Health & Welfare Group that some of vets appear to be unsure of the vaccinations required for Camelids.

ALL CAMELIDS REQUIRE TWO VACCINATIONS. EACH VACCINATION TO BE 1ml.

THE SECOND VACCINATION TO BE 21 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST.

 The message is clear, if you are within the Protection Zone :  

Don't hesitate, vaccinate

Vaccine must be ordered via your veterinary surgeon.  Livestock keepers may apply to have land which they occupy within 8 km of the Bluetongue Surveillance Zone to be designated as part of that zone.

Please encourage everyone you know who owns susceptible animals to vaccinate them against Bluetongue.  It is the only way to beat this disease. It is no good saying ‘Oh I only have a small number of animals so it doesn’t matter if I don’t vaccinate’. IT DOES. We must try to beat this and if we all vaccinate, we are doing our bit for the whole of the agricultural livestock industry.

 Clarification for Camelids (repeated and updated from Bulletin No.6) 

Further to our bulletin 5,we have confirmed the following instructions for camelid owners with Defra ;

1.   Vaccinated camelids in the BTV Protection Zone can move into the Surveillance and Free Zones (with the correct licences as described on Wednesday)  60  days after the second injection. (The second injection should be 21 days after the first) . The information in the vaccine packs suggests that only one dose is required for 'other species' but the latest information from Defra is that camelids will require two doses.  

2.  Camelid movements within the BTV zones no longer require a general licence.  We do however advise members to keep diary records of all camelid movements onto and off their premises.    

3.  Thousands of camelids have now been vaccinated to our knowledge.  There are reports of mild stiffness, flue like symptoms in a small number of animals the day after the vaccination. There are no other reported side effects. Members are reminded to watch out for injection abysses as they would with any vaccine.

Joint Health & Welfare Committee

If you have queries, concerns or feedback on any of these issues, please contact Liz Butler:

llamaliz@hotmail.com, or 01737 823375.

British Llama Society - a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 04897204.
Registered office: Mansion House, Princes Street, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1EP.