While weather and grass growth appear to be finally turning, it will still be some time before sheep farms are back on track. This is especially the case for flocks running on more marginal lands, with ground still very wet and a lower likelihood of applying fertiliser.

There are numerous ailments cropping up in greater frequency, with E.coli, scour, mastitis and orf all regular offenders this spring. There is also a greater risk of coccidiosis, with weather providing the perfect environment for the disease to establish and spread. Lambs become infected orally from faecal contamination with areas such as dirty bedding, contaminated feed and water troughs and pastures, the main entry routes due to higher numbers of oocysts (coccidial eggs) present.

All of these are a higher risk at present, with scarce straw supplies and difficulties in getting ewes and lambs outdoors also presenting a greater risk of watery mouth and joint ill. With ewes under extra pressure and requiring supplementation, lambs are also eating meals and grass at a younger age and this is presenting disease challenges earlier than normal.

The greatest risk is in lambs aged between three and eight weeks, with clinical symptoms most evident in lambs aged six to eight weeks. Lambs develop resistance to coccidia with age (10 weeks of age and older), but at this stage great harm can be done with lambs finding it difficult to recover.

Clinical symptoms

The characteristic symptoms of coccidiosis is a bad scour which can be blood-stained and as such black in colour. Lambs can be seen straining and performance will quickly suffer, with high mortality levels common during an outbreak.

Therefore, the focus must be on prevention. Bedding should be kept dry and feed and water troughs should be raised to limit contamination. Where ewes are being supplemented outdoors it is important to keep troughs moved regularly and to avoid placing troughs where animals are naturally congregating. Keeping lambs of a similar age in batches will also help.

Treatment is via oral drenches, with Vecoxan and Baycox two common sheep treatments. These treatments have a residual period of cover and this is another reason for keeping lambs of a similar age grouped together.