Glanvac 6s Zoetis**

** RECOMMEND 18g x 1/4" needle for vaccinating

B12 is made naturally by sheep and cattle, as they convert cobalt from their diet into B12 in their rumen (largest stomach). An injection containing B12 is like a “top up” if they need it…..read on!!

So, What is Cobalt?

• Essential trace element required by ruminants for the synthesis of Vitamin B12

• Micro-organisms in the rumen convert dietary cobalt into Vitamin B12

• Concentration of cobalt in forages is affected by soil properties, plant species, stage of maturity, yield, pasture management and climate – seasonal variation is a huge factor in just how much cobalt is ingested.

When cobalt, that is present in pasture or soil, is ingested it is converted into vitamin B12 by microbes which are active in the sheep’s rumen.  From here, vitamin B12 is either utilised within the rumen or is stored in the liver.  If the storage capacity is full, then any excess is excreted in the urine.  Â

What are the factors influencing cobalt deficiency?

• Associated with sandy coastal soil types and higher pH soils (limestone country).

• Prolonged weathering, leaching or intensive cropping can decrease the amounts of cobalt in the soil.

What does Vitamin B12 do?              Â

Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of glucose from volatile fatty acids in the rumen.  The glucose translates into energy for the animal – this is required for all basic functions of life, such as cell growth, cell maturation, wool production, lactation, reproduction.  Without adequate levels of B12, the sheep’s body will be unable to perform basic functions that are required for it to live. Â

What are the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency?

• Clinical signs: Loss of appetite, Decreased growth rates, Weight loss, Water ocular discharge (weeping eyes), Anaemia

• Subclinical: Reduced growth rates, Reduced wool growth, Increased tail in mob

These signs can occur despite an abundance of available pasture – which explains seasonal variation, and often combines with times of high production!

What is the significance of Vitamin B12?

• In Australia tends to be more commonly a marginal deficiency rather than severe.

• Clinical signs (reduced growth rates) may not be noted but can be of significant economic importance.

• The cost of correction is small, compared to the resulting benefit.

Who to Supplement with B12?

Ewes:

• Ewes are the powerhouse of any sheep operation, they are highly productive with increased energy requirements

• Vaccination of ewes with Glanvac B12 one month prior to lambing increases the vitamin B12 that is stored in the foetal liver and will ensure high levels are present in the ewe’s colostrum.

• Ewes supplemented pre-lamb have more energy which can help avoid pregnancy toxaemia, help produce more milk and aid in conditions like dystocia.

Lambs:

• Vitamin B12 stores in the newborn lamb’s liver have been shown to decrease rapidly in the 60 days after birth and will generally provide the lamb with adequate vitamin B12 until lamb marking. Supplementation at marking will provide the lamb with further vitamin b12 until grazing commences and cobalt can be ingested.

• Young growing weaners are rapidly growing and are more susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency than adult sheep regardless if the pasture is or isn’t cobalt deficient.

Is it worth vaccinating if I am not in a deficient area?

As the area around Pyramid Hill isn’t a considered a cobalt deficient area, there are sometimes questions raised as to whether it is worth using B12 vaccines. Unless you know the plasma concentration of Vitamin B12 in your sheep, it is very difficult to tell if there will be increased growth rates from using B12 – sometimes the benefit can be small enough to pay for itself, however not noticeable enough in every sheep. The increase is often only 50-100g, therefore not shown by normal weighing equipment, therefore hard to actually measure. Comments from producers over time, often talk about “lifting the tail of the mob” as these even small increases in weight combined with an increase in appetite and overall energy, often lead to less of a “tail”.

Eg;

Let’s pretend that three glasses are our sheep, who have varying levels of currently available B12:

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Cup 1 (empty)- will benefit from a vaccination of B12 and you will see increased growth and production rates from this animal.

Cup 2- the vaccine will top this animal up and anything it doesn’t need it will excrete- mid range growth rates.

Cup 3- Only needs a little bit, will probably excrete most of it, we might not see any changes.

Across a farm there will be varying levels of “full or empty cups”. An injection of Vitamin B12 is like giving sheep Berocca- it helps top up their energy during stressful times and when the demand for energy is at its greatest, i.e, Pre-lambing, marking and weaning.

. Cheesy Gland - bacterial infection (slow to develop), and highly contageous.  Abscesses under the arm and at shearing time abscesses can burst.  Sheep can cough up bacteria.

5 Clostridial Diseases

. Pulpy Kidney - change in feed, microbes in stomach not coping.  Signs, frothing in the mouth.

. Tetanus - scratched/jabbed from something rusty.

. Black Disease - infected with liver fluke

. Blackleg - Bruising in legs

. Malignant Oedema eg; rams fighting sores on head.

These diseases kill the sheep quickly, and they decompose quickly.

. Pulpy Kidney.  Change of feed (high risk), will need to vaccinate if last dose was more than three months ago.  Ideally wait 14 days before introducing new feed.