Farmers can recognise even mildly lame sheep and are reasonably accurate at estimating the prevalence of lameness in their flocks but make a separate decision on whether to treat lame sheep. Those who are treating individual lame sheep promptly and appropriately have a median prevalence of lameness of <5% compared with 15% in farmers who are not treating individual sheep: the former management increases income by approximately £6 per ewe put to the ram. Footrot, presenting as interdigital dermatitis (ID) and footrot with under running are both caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and are the commonest cause of lameness in sheep in the UK, causing approximately 90% of lameness and affecting approximately 3 million sheep (ewes and lambs) per year. Sheep left lame with footrot lose weight and are less productive. If treated with injectable and topical antibacterials they recover from lameness and lesions in a few days. If left untreated, or foot trimmed rather than treated with antibacterials, lame sheep are more likely to develop poor foot conformation and are more susceptible to further episodes of lameness.
Last spring a research study into joint ill was carried out by the SAC Veterinary labs. The aim was to identify the causes of joint ill and to investigate the pattern of resistance of antibiotics to the causal bacteria. There were some interesting findings which may make you look at your joint ill cases differently. Joint Ill Diagnoses By Flock Facts that were recorded in the study included: Streptococcus Dysgalactiae was isolated in 2/3 of cases. 87.5% of S. Dysgalactiae lambs had infection in two or more joints. 25% of S. Dysgalactiae lambs had infection in the joint at the base of the skull. When a different bacterium was isolated, 53% of the lambs had another problem identified at post mortem examination such as liver abscesses or pneumonia. Response to treatment in flocks diagnosed with Strep. Dysgalactiae was very poor. Resistance to antibiotics varied from 0-88 % depending on the drug. The useful information that can be taken from this data is that in most cases S. Dysgalactiae is the cause of the joint ill. A third of joint ill cases (those not caused by S. Dysgalactiae) will be prevented with good colostrum intakes as is the case for watery mouth. A penicillin antibiotic is the best antibiotic to use for Strep joint ill.
Foreword Abortion takes a heavy toll on the sheep industry, not only economically, but in emotional terms too. Enzootic abortion in ewes is consistently the most frequent diagnosis followed in descending order by infection with Toxoplasma gondii, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. Causes of abortion also lead to increased barren rates, and the birth of weak lambs, so the impact of these pathogens is greater than just abortion. Fortunately there are vaccines for the two most common causes of abortion, providing farmers and the veterinary surgeons advising them with effective and sustainable tools in the control of enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis. The uptake of these vaccines, however, remains lower than might reasonably be expected. In this roundtable discussion the barriers to the implementation of the extant measures of abortion control were discussed and suggestions made as to how abortion can better be prevented.
Abortion and stillbirth account for approximately 30% of UK annual lamb losses so have significant financial implications. Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) and toxoplasmosis are the commonest infectious causes, followed by Campylobacter spp, unfortunately in less than 50% of submissions a diagnosis is not made. This article reviews investigation and diagnosis of common causes of ovine abortion plus flock management of both the initial outbreak and for long-term control and prevention of abortion.
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