| Sheep
Stamp out lameness in your ewes
Lameness is estimated to cost £89.80 per affected ewe, now's the time to stamp out the disease.
ameness costs you money by
causing health and welfare
problems.
Firstly, in ewes, lameness
leads to reduced grazing and
sub optimal nutrition, which can
cause twin lamb disease, reduced fertility and
poor milk production. In lambs, lameness
delays finishing and even if they do finish, lame
lambs are unfit to travel, which presents a
significant challenge when trying to comply
with UK animal welfare legislation.
ADAS has calculated the cost of lameness
per affected ewe to be £89.80. This means that
if the incidence in any given flock is 10%, the
cost of lameness is £8.98 for every ewe in the
flock. Another recent study has shown that
flocks could save £3.86 per ewe per year by
stopping routine foot trimming and minimising
L
28 | Farming Monthly | July 2018
foot bathing to control footrot – two
management practices that have been
associated with a higher prevalence of
lameness.
It may not be possible to eradicate lameness
entirely, but significant steps can be made t
reduce levels to the Farm Animal Welfare
Council (FAWC) targets of <2% and minimise
the financial costs producers currently incur.
Lameness will not be cured by one ‘magic
bullet’. However, farmers should develop a
strategy to reduce lameness in their flock.
Footrot is the main cause of lameness on UK
sheep farms.
Vaccination with FOOTVAX® is an aid to
preventing lameness in a flock by stimulating
immunity to (and reducing lesions caused by)
Dichelobacter nodosus, the bacteria causing
footrot. Computer modelling has shown a cost
benefit for whole flock vaccination if lameness
incidence due to footrot is more than 2% of
sheep affected.
To minimise footrot incidence, vaccinate
sheep on a whole flock basis, to coincide with
high risk periods such as winter housing. A
flock health planner, such as one from StowAg,
makes it easy to maintain a regular vaccination
routine by offering a free consultation service,
personalising your plan and recommend health
solutions to meet your flock’s requirements
throughout the year.
Whilst backing British farming for 50 years
StowAg’s knowledgeable and friendly
team make it easily the natural choice for
Farms, Estates and Contractors. Why not speak
to one of StowAg’s SQP’s on 01451 830 400 to
discuss your flock’s health planner or any other
requirements.
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