Attention to detail pays off in tackling sheep lameness

Combating sheep lameness, and the benefits of paying attention to detail, were the focus of a joint Moredun and Farmers Network livestock production event in Cumbria, writes Nancy Nicolson.

The common causes of sheep lameness including contagious ovine digital dermatitis, footrot and scald, together with the treatments and strategies that could be implemented to control them, were outlined by local vet Brian Mundell.

He described how the farm, run by James and Tom Stobart at Croglin High Hall, Armathwait, had drastically reduced lameness in their flock by paying close attention to foot health and culling rigorously.

Initially large numbers had to be culled from the flock, but the situation had changed and now they had very few lame sheep.

If the brothers see lameness they treat it as soon as possible.

James Stobart said a benefit of rotational grazing paddocks meant they were moving the sheep every few days and they caught lame animals quickly, before infection could spread through the group.

A workshop reiterated the message for close attention to detail when achieving effective and sustainable worm control.

Moredun research scientist Dr Fiona Kenyon explained the problems of blanket worming and the development of anthelmintic resistance.

With the use of a combi-clamp, weigh head and stick reader, Dr Kenyon outlined an alternative approach which involved using EID when weighing lambs routinely to establish liveweight gain (LWG) and direct anthelmintic treatment to those lambs not making target weights.

She said this method was shown to reduce anthelmintic usage without compromising LWG in lambs.

Around 80 farmers, vets and industry specialists took a farm walk led by the Stobart brothers, who pointed out the rotational grazing system set up to promote best use of grass, the cheapest form of feeding for lambs and key to the efficiency of lamb and beef production on the farm.

They said their overall aim was to keep LWG as high as possible while reducing costs associated with feed and fertilizer, and the figures proved that this was being achieved with a tightly monitored rotational grazing system.

The Moredun and Farmers Network livestock event in Cumbria.