• Targeting the Barber’s Pole Worm: The vaccine is specifically effective against Haemonchus contortus, a blood-sucking roundworm that causes severe anemia and potential death in small ruminants.
• Managing Drench Resistance: It provides an alternative or complementary control method when worms have developed resistance to chemical drenches.
• Reducing Environmental Contamination: By significantly reducing the number of worm eggs shed in the feces of vaccinated animals, it lowers the contamination of pastures, which helps break the parasite’s life cycle.
• Use in All Classes of Sheep: It is approved for use in lambs, hoggets, ewes, and rams.
• Part of an Integrated Control Program: The vaccine is intended to be used within a broader parasite management strategy, often alongside an initial “clean-out” drench and regular monitoring (e.g., FAMACHA scoring or worm egg counts).
• Preventive Measure: Barbervax is a preventive product that stimulates the animal’s immune system to produce antibodies that attack the worm’s gut lining, starving it and blocking digestion; it is not a “knockdown” or curative treatment for existing, severe infestations. 

ADMINISTRATION

• Dose: Always 1 mL for sheep and goats, regardless of body weight.
• Site: Subcutaneous (under the skin), usually behind the ear for best results.
• Technique: Use aseptic (sterile) technique and a 1 mL fixed-dose syringe.
• Safety: Consider a one-handed safety vaccinator to avoid accidental self-injection, as it can be painful.

SCHEDULE

• Priming (Young Lambs): A series of three vaccinations is needed for effective immunity, often given at 3-4 week intervals, with the first two priming the system and the third providing initial protection.
• Boosters (After Priming): Once primed, a single booster shot every 6 weeks (or more frequently in high-risk situations) provides ongoing protection during the Barber’s pole worm season.
• Subsequent Seasons: A single booster in a new season is often sufficient for previously primed sheep, eliminating the need for the initial priming series.