Sheep health and disease
Resources, advice and farmer case studies on how to maintain sheep health and deal with disease in your flock.
Mastitis
Prevention is the best way to avoid mastistis. Find out more about mastitis and its impact and how to avoid and treat it.
Cleanliness key to beating mastitis in sheep
Worms & liver fluke
Information on a range of intestinal worms, how to control them and advice on wormers.
Changing weather causes change in worm patterns
Wormer resistance is on the rise – case study of one sheep farmer’s experience of resistance in his flock
Farmer warns on wormer resistance
Using the correct technique when administering anthelmintics will have an impact on control of worms.
Watch a video explaining the importance of assessing weights and checking drench guns so correct doses are given.
Orf
Orf disease is highly contagious and difficult to control. Orf facts and advice on control and vaccination.
Sheep scab
Sheep scab can be difficult to detect and is often confused with lice. Getting it right is vital in order to get the correct treatment.
Get diagnosis right for sheep scab
Information on the causes, legislation and treatment for effective control.
Will we ever get on top of sheep scab?
Case study – how a group of 20 lamb producers took a collective approach to sheep scab eradication.
Sheep scab eradication requires teamwork
Johne’s Disease
Some sheep farmers are not aware theat Johne’s can affect sheep as well as cattle. Advice on how to detect the disease, its impact and treatment.
Johne’s could be hampering your flock
Clostridial disease
Diseases in sheep caused by clostridial pathogens are aggressive and often fatal.
Flock Focus: Clostridial disease protection
Protecting your flock from clostridial diseases and pasteurella
Maedi visna infection
The last 15 years has seen a doubling in the instances of this highly contagious viral disease. Find out how a Cumbrian farmer experienced the infection in his flock
Farmer talks of MV devastation as cases in UK double
Turn-in eyelids in lambs
Entropian/turn-in eyelids can be a common problems in lambs.
Watch a video explaining how to treat the common weepy eye condition by injecting a mild penicillin around the eye.
Hypothermia in lambs
Hypothermia is a big killer in lambs particularly in extreme weather conditions.
Watch a video explaining the methods to control hypothermia or read practical tips to help prevent it in the first place.
Vaccination
It is crucial for disease control that vaccines are being administered correctly. Advice on how to vaccinate effectively, including storage, administration and timing.
Flock Focus: Inject some care into your vaccine programme
Lamb loss
Reducing lamb mortality can have a major impact on farm income. We examine the causes of lamb losses, nutrition and management practices.
How to reduce costly lamb losses
Lameness
Lameness can be a real issue in many flocks with foot-rot often the main cause. Find out how you can reduce it in your flock by using the Five-Point plan. Technical advice is available as well as videos and case studies.
Get expert advice and information on lameness
Schmallenberg
Schmallenberg is a viral disease which affects sheep, cattle and goats and was first detected in August 2011 in cattle in the Netherlands and Germany.
Read and watch videos about farmers who have had flocks suffer from the disease and how they have controlled it. Information is also available on vaccination and latest disease spread.
Avoiding disease
A range of diseases such as footrot, worm resistance and sheep scab can be brought in with buying stock. Advice on how to put systems in place to avoid this risk.
Don’t risk buying in sheep diseases
Minerals
Providing incorrect levels of minerals can have adverse effects on sheep health and can have costly consequences for producers.
Check out the latest on tackling mineral deficiency problems
Record keeping
Simple record keeping can help identify health problems early.
Find out how simple record keeping has helped to reduce lamb losses on a Somerset sheep farm by 4.3%