It will also reduce the costs directly associated with the disease and any longer term effect on performance the disease may have. For these reasons, it is worth sitting down and looking at the risk factors to your flock and putting a plan in place to combat these. Below are just a few of the most common diseases that may occur in the immediate months ahead and the precautions that can be taken.

Fluke dose

The volume of rainfall and when it fell in 2011 has varied significantly between the east, southeast and the remainder of the country. However, there was still enough rainfall for liver fluke to survive and pose a real danger to flock health. The Department’s liver fluke advisory group forecasts a moderate risk in the east and southeast and high risk in all other areas. This is not only the case with mature sheep, with factory personnel reporting a significant increase in the number of lambs exhibiting damaged livers over the last two to three weeks. Therefore, it is important to ensure you treat young sheep as well as older sheep. On farms where sheep are outwintered and there is a history of liver fluke, the group recommends dosing for fluke in November, January and again in April. It also advises farmers to collect and submit faecal samples to the regional veterinary laboratories pre- and post-dosing to examine efficacy of the product used.

Twin lamb disease

Pregnancy toxaemia or twin lamb disease is a problem of lack of energy intake in late pregnant ewes that can be influenced or triggered by many factors. Rapid growth of the lamb or lambs in the last two months of pregnancy enlarges the uterus and, as a result, reduces the capacity for feed in the rumen. For that reason, it is critical high energy feeds are fed in late pregnancy. Analysis of the supplementation being fed will give an indication of whether or not you are meeting the ewe’s nutritional requirements. Any factor that interferes with normal intake, such as not enough space at the feed barrier, lameness, overfeeding of concentrates resulting in acidosis, are all possible trigger factors for the disease.

Abortion

Any incidence of abortion should be treated as a possible outbreak. Ewes and aborted material should be isolated immediately. The foetus and any other aborted material should then be sent via your vet to the lab for assessment of the disease causing the abortion.

Orf

It is important to note that where Orf has not previously been a problem on the farm, vaccination should not take place. This is because the vaccine is live and exposing it to a naive flock will just serve to introduce Orf into the flock. Scabivax is the vaccine available for preventing Orf. Scabs resulting from the vaccination are capable of spreading the disease for up to seven weeks and, therefore, should not come in contact with unvaccinated sheep, lambing pens, etc, where the disease can subsequently be spread. It should also not be administered to ewes less than seven weeks pre-lambing.

Scab

Winter is the peak risk time for sheep scab. Many flockowners and vets still value dipping as the best treatment available. Ensure that ewes are immersed for 60 seconds for full treatment and dilution rates are adhered to. There are also many injectable products on the market. Be careful to read the manufacturer’s guidelines carefully, as many products require a second treatment seven days after the initial treatment to kill hatched eggs.

Simple steps

Housing sheep when wet will not automatically lead to any direct health ailments. But where sheep can be housed dry, it will allow them settle better, prevent them from sweating, reduce stress, etc. Hygiene is critical to prevent disease occurring at all stages. Footbathing ewes regularly will help prevent lameness issues, as will maintaining a clean, dry bed.

Your own health

Farmers can often put their own health at lower importance to the flock or herd. Remember, you are a critical asset to your farm and your family. As such, take the time to at least carry out a yearly health check with your doctor.

This article was first published on 24 December 2011