A vaccine is a manufactured compound that is designed to help animals fight against particular diseases caused by specific bacteria and viruses. It contains materials called antigens that stimulate the body's defenses to produce either antibodies or activated cells that in turn modify or inactivate the agents of disease. Each vaccine also contains a component called an adjuvant that stimulates the animal's immune system.
Few vaccines can completely prevent disease occurrence.
However, when used properly, their beneficial effects far outweigh their drawbacks. Ask for veterinary advice on prevalent diseases that are preventable by vaccines. Different farms in different areas have different needs. Your veterinarian can help you design a farm-specific vaccination program for your ewes, young lambs, market lambs, replacement ewe lambs, and rams. It is much cheaper in the long run to have an accurate diagnosis made by your veterinarian using a diagnostic laboratory than to use vaccines in a shotgun approach.