SMALL SHEEP farmers on the Isle of Skye have raised concerns over shortages of the Heptavac P vaccine, which has only been available in multi-pack doses suited to larger flocks. 
Heptavac is one of the most widely used vaccines to protect sheep against a range of diseases caused by clostridial bacteria. On Skye – where farmers have felt the pressure of lowering sheep prices, increased feeding bills, animal predation and a worsening climate – financial savings are paramount and the unavailability of the smaller packs of vaccine is a real concern. 
Skye crofter Vic Bull, who looks after his herd of 60 breeding Blackface ewes and tups, along with their lambs, at his Lochbay croft, explained: “The only supply of this vaccine is from Harbro and they have not had any in stock for four weeks. I went in yesterday and had to buy a cheaper product, Covexin8, which doesn’t provide resistance to pneumonia. What is the point of me producing top class Blackface lambs if I can’t inject them against all these diseases? I might as well give up.” 
Harbro commercial manager Allan Bain responded to the vaccine shortage claims: “The issue of the Heptavac P 50ml sizes does affect our smaller sheep farmer because the next size up is 100ml, but we have tried to make these as cheap as we can to help. The latest news of a date for this size arriving into the wholesalers is October 20, so a few days after this it should be safely back in our store fridges.”
A spokesperson from the manufacturer of the vaccines, MSD Animal Health, added: “The company confirms that the 50ml vial has been in short supply recently, but that new stocks should enter the supply chain shortly. The vaccine remains readily available in 100ml, 250ml and 500ml vial sizes.”