Vets Welcome Schmallenberg Vaccine

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warmly welcomed the announcement that a vaccine to protect sheep and cattle against the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is now available. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) announced that it has granted MSD Animal Health a provisional marketing authorisation for Bovilis SBV, which is the first vaccine specifically targeting SBV in cattle and sheep. Commenting, Peter Jones, President of the BVA, said: “Given the serious worry that this new disease has caused and the significant losses that individual farmers have faced, the news that a vaccine is now available should be warmly welcomed. “Although we are aware that previous exposure to the virus provides some immunity there remains a lot of uncertainty about how long the immunity will last and which animals in the herd or flock have been exposed. “Farmers can now plan with good veterinary advice how, where and when to use the vaccine to protect their animals and their offspring.”

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