Vets Encouraged To Engage With Their Farmers On The Importance Of Orf Vaccination

9 hours ago
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Posted
8th December, 2025 10h49

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Zoetis

Zoetis UK is calling for vets to speak to their clients about orf prevention ahead of the coming lambing season making sure to remind them of the importance of vaccination in affected flocks.

Where vaccination for orf is being implemented, they are also being reminded of the need to provide farmers with clear guidance on when and how to use vaccination in light of research¹ that demonstrated inconsistent vaccination practices are commonplace.

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) Livestock Vaccination Guideline categorises orf vaccination as a category two vaccination and it is recommended in flocks where there is already orf present on the farm. However, the research highlighted that many farmers do not carry out orf vaccination correctly with only 27% of respondents using the correct site (axilla). Moreover, 37% of respondents used the orf vaccine up to a week after opening a vial, with the shelf life being eight hours, 33% would vaccinate their ewes too close to lambing and 73% of respondents did not separate vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals, leading to an increased infection risk to non-vaccinated animals.

Zoetis, the company behind the orf vaccine Scabigard, has an extensive range of information available to support vets when talking to their clients about orf vaccination. This includes a Scabigard - key information for users’ leaflet featuring details on the correct use of the Scabigard vaccine applicator and a guide on how and where to apply the vaccine in the hairless skin of the axilla using a single 4-5cm scratch. A useful How to use Scabigard video is also available demonstrating how to prepare and prime the applicator and apply the vaccine. It includes key points to consider both during and after vaccination. To view the leaflet and video click here.

Evidence suggests clear welfare and cost benefits to using Scabigard in lambs and, ideally, also in ewes, with orf costing 2.2kg of liveweight in lambs of comparable sizes on the same nutrition and creep feeding regimes². Moreover, costs of orf ranged from £1.06 to more than £14.03 a ewe, depending on severity of cases, effect on lamb growth rate and ewe replacement costs².

Orf is a highly infectious, zoonotic disease that can spread quickly in an outbreak over 6-8 weeks. The disease is reported to be present on 25% of UK farms³. It is mainly a disease of young pre-weaned lambs, but it can also affect older sheep/ewes and the prevalence rates in England are 20% for lambs and 2% for ewes³. If a lamb has orf, then there is an 82% chance that its mother also has orf on its udder or teats². Grazing on rough pasture, such as thistles, increases the risk of disease due to mucosal abrasions.

“Orf can spread quickly through a flock having stayed on equipment and in the environment for months, and potentially years,” comments Tim Potter, veterinary surgeon and national veterinary manager at Zoetis. “We are encouraging vets to highlight the benefits of vaccination for orf with Scabigard on any farms where orf is known to be present and our comprehensive vaccination guidelines will help ensure effective and consistent protection for flocks at risk of the disease.”

For further information on orf or Scabigard contact your Zoetis account manager or information can be found here.

References

1. Do UK sheep farmers use orf vaccine correctly and could their vaccination strategy affect vaccine efficacy? Stephanie Small et Al Vet Record 2019 Sep 14;185 (10):305. doi: 10.1136/vr.105472. Epub 2019 Jul 20
2. Case-control study of Orf in preweaned lambs and an assessment of the financial impact of the disease. Lovatt F.M. et al (2012). Veterinary Record 170, 673-677
3. Prevalence, risk factors and vaccination efficacy of contagious ovine ecthyma (orf) in England. J Onyango et al. Vet Record 2014 Oct 4;175 (13):326.

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