Start of test three Flock Health

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

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

Major Health Concerns n Abortions n Pneumonia n Coccidiosis n Digestive Disorders n Internal Parasites n Footrot

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

AbortionsAbortions 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

CoccidiosisCoccidiosis 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 n Dichelobacter nodosus n Fusobacterium necrophorum (always present)

TransmissionTransmission n From infected to clean sheep n Best environmental conditions degrees wet soil or bedding hoof injury

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

TreatmentTreatment n Harsh trimming n Foot soaks (60 minutes) n 10% zinc sulfate with wetting agent n Vaccination (Footvax not available)

TreatmentTreatment n Separate clean from infected u Can only live outside the foot for less than 2 weeks n Cull non-responders n Dry pens n Antibiotics (LA200 at 5mg/kg every other day)

Summary n Never buy it n Footrot free flocks do exist

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

SoremouthSoremouth n Zoonotic disease n Long lived n Timing is everything n Mastitis is greatest problem u youth flocks

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