MLA looks into health problems in sheep

PREVENTABLE arthritis is compromising growth rates and condition scores in the nation’s prime lamb flocks.

Thomas Foods International lamb supply chain co-ordinator Dr David Rutley said incorrect tail docking increased the incidence of arthritis in lambs, resulting in a loss in profit for the producer.

Dr Rutley said apart from trimming loss, growth was also reduced by arthritis.

TFI has collected disease data on sheep for the past 10 years with a focus on food safety, and is participating in a Meat and Livestock Australia project on reducing endemic conditions in sheep.

Under the $3 million project, 21 sheep health issues will be recorded and communicated to South Australian producers, including grass seeds, pneumonia, arthritis, sheep measles and rib fractures.

When it comes to arthritis, docking a lamb’s tails to two knuckles increased the incidence of the disease, Dr Rutley said.

“The skin pulls tighter, it takes longer to heal and there is more chance of infection lodging in the joint causing arthritis,” he said.

“The growth of arthritic lambs is reduced as seen in lower hot standard carcase weights and they have less GR fat than normal lambs.”

Dr Rutley was a guest speaker at the Trigger Vale White Suffolks 2017 information day on August 18.

He told the 100-strong crowd of commercial producers the disease feedback on sheep and lamb carcasses about to become available on Livestock Data Link was valuable in improving management systems.

Livestock Data Link facilitates information sharing in the supply chain on carcass compliance and animal health conditions identified by post mortem inspection on downgraded, diseased or condemned carcasses.

Head to the research and development section on www .mla.com.au to find out more.