There was good interest in the breeding policy in place on Tullamore Farm at Wednesday’s open day.

The Mule breed of ewe is delivering on her target for high output. But as is the case on any farm purchasing replacements, there is a risk of introducing disease. This can be greatly reduced by implementing a good quarantine procedure.

Any replacement females or rams arriving on Tullamore Farm are immediately quarantined and remain housed for a 24- to 48-hour period during which time health treatments are administered. These animals are kept separate to the main flock up until after breeding has finished and for longer, if possible.

The health treatments administered are listed below.

The quarantine programme is not cheap, costing upwards of €15 per head but it is a vital cost in reducing the risk of introducing disease and is a cost that can be absorbed given the financial implications of a disease outbreak.

Worm control

Anthelmintic resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing the sheep industry with resistance identified in Ireland to the anthelmintic classes of benzimidazoles (white drench), levamisole (yellow drench) and avermectin (clear drench).

Tullamore Farm is a clean farm in this respect with no sheep on the farm prior to the introduction of ewes in late 2017 for over 30 years. Therefore, it was important to take all steps to reduce the risk of importing resistant worms.

Anthelmintic resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing the sheep industry

The latest advice is to treat animals with one of the new generation wormers on arrival to the farm. The new generation wormers are Zolvix, a monepantel and startect, which is a new dual-active product combined. Zolvix is the product used in Tullamore as there have been supply issues with startect.

It is also recommended to administer a second product with the active ingredient of moxidectin or doramectin. It is important to retain sheep indoors post-treatment to allow worms to be shed in faeces.

Fluke control

Similar to worms, there is also a risk of importing liver fluke when purchasing sheep. A two-treatment programme is again recommended using products containing the active ingredients trichlabendazole and closantel or nitroxynil.

Trichlabendazole covers early, immature and mature liver fluke parasites but a dual treatment is recommended to guard against issues with resistance to trichlabendazole.

All sheep also received a closantel-based product.

Lameness

The greatest threat with regards lameness is purchasing animals that have CODD or footrot.

Sheep are examined for issues on arrival while the lameness is monitored throughout the quarantine period.

The Footvax vaccine has been used previously and this, along with regular footbathing, will be the control programme for the farm.

External parasites

There are no dipping facilities on the farm so an alternative option of controlling external parasites is required.

Sheep are retained in the dipping tub for at least 60 seconds with their heads immersed at least once

A plunge sheep-dipping contractor is used when all purchased sheep have arrived and the ewe flock is also dipped.

Sheep are retained in the dipping tub for at least 60 seconds with their heads immersed at least once.

Infectious agents

The control programme for the two most common infectious agents, toxoplasmosis and chlymidial abortion (enzootic abortion), is addressed pre-breeding.

Enzovax has been administered to guard against enzootic abortion with Toxovax used for toxoplasmosis protection.

Clostridial vaccine

Sheep on the farm are on a clostridial vaccine programme.

Hoggets purchased through the Mayo Mule and Greyface sale in 2018 were already vaccinated with all other sheep receiving a primary and booster course.

A booster is then administered annually.