Flock Health 2-23

Sheep Misnomers Sick sheep are dead sheep All sheep are born looking for a place to die

Sheep Facts normal Body Temperature - 102 Respiration rate - 20 Heart beat - 75

Major Health Concerns Abortions Pneumonia Coccidiosis Digestive Disorders Internal Parasites Footrot

Healthy sheep Buy healthy sheep Minimize stress Biosecurity new sheep space nutrition air quality social Biosecurity new sheep visitors stock trailers scales shows

Abortions Toxoplasmosis Enzootic Abortion in Ewes (EAE or chlamydia) Campylobater Vibrio

Abortion Prevention Know what diseases you have Vaccinate Feed antibiotics ????? Feed coccidiostats, not approved Biosecurity Isolate aborting ewes Vet Client Patient Relationship Closed flock or bring in ewes ahead of breeding

Coccidiosis Environmental problem Fecal oral Use feed additives Bovatec Deccox Water treatments Corrid Sulfa

Digestive Disorders Overeating Vaccination Use feed additives OTC or CTC Feedbunk management

Digestive Disorders Acidosis Gradual ration changes Feedbunk management Secure feed storage May lead to polio

Internal Parasites Strategic approach some de-worm every 21 days $$$ Key treatment times 1. Pre-turn out in spring 2. Pre-lambing Success depends on clean pastures

Internal Parasites Clean pasture No sheep for 6 months Jan-June or July- Dec Hay field re-growth Crop residue

Internal Parasites Effective dosing correctly administered route and amount good stockmanship Rotating de-wormers ????

Footrot & Producer Attitudes 1. Accept footrot and limping sheep 2. Believe facilities are permanently contaminated 3. Too soft on trimming

Producer Attitudes 4. Do not regularly trim feet 5. Want a shot or feed additive to cure the problem

Footrot basics Dichelobacter nodosus Fusobacterium necrophorum (always present)

Transmission From infected to clean sheep Best environmental conditions 40-70 degrees wet soil or bedding hoof injury

Prevention Trust no one Assume all flocks have footrot Quarantine new purchases Contaminated trailers Trust no one

Treatment Harsh trimming Foot soaks (30 minutes) 10% zinc sulfate with wetting agent Vaccination (Footvax availabilty?)

Treatment Separate clean from infected Cull non-responders Dry pens Can only live outside the foot for less than 2 weeks Cull non-responders Dry pens Antibiotics (LA200 20 mg/kg) (Zactran 6 mg/kg)

Summary Never buy it Footrot free flocks do exist

Foot Scald Less hoof damage Wet conditions Foot soaks very effective whitish, pasty material between the hooves Wet conditions Foot soaks very effective Antibiotics

Soremouth Zoonotic disease Long lived Timing is everything Mastitis is greatest problem youth flocks

Summary on Health You can not afford to treat for every possible problem Biosecurity and stress VPCR Prevention is cheaper than treatment Know your flocks health problems