Heptavac P-Plus manufacturers MSD Animal Health released a statement on Friday 7 March notifying farmers that it expects to receive “large deliveries” of its clostridial disease and pasteurellosis vaccine throughout March.

The company stated that the deliveries will be in a range of pack sizes including 100ml, 250ml and 500ml.

Ruminant business unit director at MSD Jack O’Connor stated: “We are currently experiencing a constraint on the supply of Heptavac P Plus and there is limited stock available in the market at present.

"We are expecting large deliveries across 100ml, 250ml and 500ml pack sizes throughout March.

"To receive the most up-to-date information on the availability of the vaccine in your area, please contact your vet or your usual supplier.”

'Strong advocate'

He added: “MSD Animal Health is a strong advocate for the important role vaccination plays in reducing the incidence and severity of disease, protecting animal welfare and enabling efficient farming of livestock.

"As a key supplier of vaccines for sheep in Ireland, we remain committed to producing these vaccines for our customers, with managing supply constraints a key priority for our company.”

O’Connor added that the company has been taking steps to increase vaccine production levels, including the upgrading of equipment within its manufacturing network and shifting resources to maximise capacity.

“These actions have put us in a stronger position than in previous years to meet customer demand. However, despite our best efforts, several factors continue to negatively impact our supply chain, meaning there will still be supply constraints.

"We aim to support our customers during this time by allocating vaccine stock where possible, in line with historical demand at an individual customer level.”