The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2019 - Issue 62 | Page 50

50 SHEEP
APR/MAY 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk
UK SHEEP PRODUCERS URGED
TO PROTECT LAMBS FROM
SPRING DISEASE THREATS
SHEEP pregnancy scanners across the UK
have reported variable results over the winter
with some flocks in some areas carrying 20%
to 40% fewer lambs than last year. Farmers
are therefore being urged to protect every
newborn lamb this spring from preventable
disease threats.
“It looks like lamb numbers may well be
down nationally this year, but if we get a
kind spring weather-wise that will certain-
ly help producers maximise the number
of lambs reared, which is what counts.
However, what sheep producers simply
cannot afford to do is lose more lambs
to easily preventable diseases,” says
sheep vet Phillipa Page from Flock Health
Limited.
Ms Page says that farmers facing a lower
lamb crop must not react to a depressed
productivity challenge by skimping on es-
sential vaccinations that will protect young
lambs against diseases that can cause
significant mortalities.
‘ no lamb should die from
a clostridial disease ’
“Clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis
are both silent killers. Typically, the first sign
a farmer will see is a dead lamb; sometimes
losses can be catastrophic.”
“In an era when proven and highly
cost-effective vaccines are available, no
lamb should die from a clostridial disease,”
she adds.
Ms Page says that it is impossible to con-
trol the multiple and varied stress-related
‘trigger’ factors for clostridial disease and
pasteurellosis in lambs, so vaccination of
these newborns is essential.
“Provided a ewe has been fully vaccinat-
ed against these two key disease threats,
the colostrum her lambs receive shortly
after birth gives them short-lived protec-
tion against pasteurellosis and clostridial
diseases. However, this so-called passive
immunity only lasts for so long. This means
lambs must be vaccinated themselves from
three weeks of age.”
www.msd-animal-health.com
Avoid routine worming of ewes at lambing time
With widespread resistance to wormers now being detected
on many sheep farms across the UK, producers are being
warned against blanket worming all ewes at lambing time.
IOLO White, veterinary partner at
Camlas Farm Vets LLP says while
late pregnancy and early lactation
can present a higher-risk period
for ewes, blanket treatment may
not be needed, and faecal egg
counts (FEC) should be used to
assess the level of risk before
worming.
“Historically, the advice has
been to treat all ewes during the
lambing period due to a drop in
immunity which can increase the
number of eggs shed and level of
pasture contamination,” says Mr
White.
“However, not all ewes shed
high amounts of eggs during this
period, with factors such as body
condition score, nutrition, foetal
numbers and the level of physical
stress, all having an impact.”
With anthelmintic resistance
presenting a real threat to the
sustainability of lamb production,
he says a measured approach to
worming is a must.
“It’s particularly important
to keep an eye on yearling
ewes, ewe lambs and bought-
in animals, as their immunity
to worms may be lower than a
healthy home-bred ewe,” says
Mr White.
“FEC’s should be carried out
every 10 to 14 days during high
risk periods, starting three to four
weeks pre-lambing or if produc-
tion and health problems arise,
so producers can make accurate
worming decisions.”
He says FEC’s are a very useful
tool when used alongside vet ad-
vice and resistance profiles and
help for specific farms determine
worming protocols.
Dependent on ewe condition,
worming may be necessary
between 200 and 400 eggs per
gram of faeces. For ewes in
good condition with FEC’s within
that threshold, it may be worth
waiting and testing again in 10
days before treating. However,
if several ewes are looking dirty
with a low body condition score,
treat those specific ewes and
then re-test.”
Mr White says use of the latest
technology makes FEC testing
quicker and easier, with virtually
instant results now possible.
“We use the FECPAKG2 from
Techion to carry out FEC’s for our
clients. Internet connected and
image based, testing can be carried
out virtually anywhere. It gives us
greater confidence in the results, as
the images are stored and can be
rechecked, providing quality control
which we didn’t have with tradition-
al microscope-based system.