A survey of ovine dermatophilosis in Western Australia

Abstract

A random sample of 200 Merino sheep owners was interviewed by telephone during April 1983 and asked questions relating to the prevalence of ovine dermatophilosis in their flocks, methods used for prevention and treatment of dermatophilosis, management strategies employed and the location and annual rainfall of each farm. The response rate was 99.5%. During the previous 12 months 62.3% of farmers had observed dermatophilosis in their flocks. The prevalence within flocks was highest in hoggets (mean 2.2%, range 0 to 75%) followed by lambs (mean 0.8%, range 0 to 25%), ewes (mean 0.6%, range 0 to 20%) and wethers (0.2%, range 0 to 20%). The mean weight of wool identified as affected by dermatophilosis was 58 kg (range 0 to 882 kg). Preventive measures were used on 57% of farms and the most common methods were changes in dipping practice (23.6%) and culling of affected sheep (21%). An average of 13.7 sheep per farm were culled for dermatophilosis and of these, 82% were sold and the remainder (18%) were killed on the farm. Antibiotics, of which most were combinations of penicillin and streptomycin were used to treat dermatophilosis on 8.5% of farms and treatments other than antibiotics were used on 10% of farms. The prevalence of dermatophilosis and its relationship to various environmental and management factors varied with the age and sex of sheep. Discriminant analysis indicated that of the factors studied, average annual rainfall, month of lambing, average fibre diameter and the month ewes were shorn were related to the prevalence of dermatophilosis in lambs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dermatophilosis (lumpy wool) in sheep: a review of pathogenesis, aetiology, resistance and vaccines

“…Sheep with lumpy wool are associated with lowered production of wool, decreased wool value, culling losses, treatment costs and difficulty in shearing (Edwards 1985;Edwards et al 1985;Bateup and Edwards 1990;Berry and Watt 2017). Moreover, lumpy wool may be a predisposing factor for fleece rot and both conditions are predisposing factors for blowfly strike, particularly body strike (Wilkinson 1979;Gherardi et al 1981Gherardi et al , 1983; NSW Industry and Investment 2010).…”

Fleece rot and dermatophilosis (lumpy wool) in sheep: opportunities and challenges for new vaccines

“…Dermatophilosis causes wool production losses and an increased risk of blowfly strike, especially on the sheep body, back and sides (Wilkinson 1979;Gherardi et al 1981Gherardi et al , 1983Edwards 1985;Edwards et al 1985;Bateup and Edwards 1990). However, the extent of its contribution to blowfly strike risk is unclear and may be less than fleece rot.…”

Treatment of ovine dermatophilosis with long‐acting oxytetracycline or a lincomycin‐spectinomycin combination

“…Edwards e t a l (1988) found 60.58, 74.0% and 52.4% of lamb flocks were affected and 67.6%, 83.0% and 80.9% of hogget flocks affected in 3 successive years in Western Australia. The disease causes economic loss through reduced wool production, culling losses, treatment costs, reduced value of wool, tanning losses and losses associated with flystrike (Edwards 1985(Edwards , 1988. Flock owners frequently treat affected sheep with injectable antibiotics to facilitate the removal of wool at shearing.…”