24 Mar 2025
Ceva product back in stock after “supply challenges” last year.
Vet Times
Job Title
Ceva’s Cevac Chlamydia EAE vaccine is back in stock following “supply challenges” last year.
Vets are now being encouraged to promote enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) vaccination to farmers for ewe lambs and shearlings to help protect the cohort of ewes that missed last year’s vaccination from the infection.
Flock replacements should also be vaccinated this summer ahead of tupping against chlamydiosis, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydophila abortus.
Shearlings (one year plus) and older can be vaccinated with Cevac Chlamydia within four months before tupping and no later than four weeks before the rams go in, while ewe lambs can be vaccinated from five months of age. The vaccine should not be used in pregnant ewes.
Fiona Lovatt, from Flock Health and a past-president of the Sheep Veterinary Society, said: “It is really good news to hear that there will be good availability of EAE vaccine this year.
“The lambing season started off with some disappointing news for some farmers who were not able to vaccinate last year as they faced EAE abortions. We are emphasising to these farmers and others that it is essential that the youngest two years of the ewes are vaccinated before next tupping to ensure that the cohort that missed last year’s vaccination are fully covered.”
EAE is estimated to cost the UK sheep industry up to £20 million annually1 and it is spread from sheep to sheep, predominantly at lambing, when affected ewes shed large numbers of the bacterium in their fetal fluids and placenta.
Katherine Timms, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva, added: “EAE is one of the biggest economic and welfare issues affecting sheep flocks each year and vaccination for EAE should be incorporated into flock health plans, particularly if there have been abortion cases during the preceding lambing.
“Veterinary practices can utilise practice management systems to proactively contact farming clients to discuss the benefits of vaccination well in advance of tupping.”
