Sheep Lameness - Diagnosis, Treatment and Control

HOW MUCH IS LAMENESS COSTING THE UK SHEEP INDUSTRY?

The Cost of Lameness Financial losses Compromised welfare A poor image

The Cost With an estimated 3 million sheep lame each year the industry is losing at least £20,000,000 a year

How does lameness affect your profits? Poorer performance lower lambing percentage lower growth rates Increased labour Increased vet and medicine bills

For a typical 600 ewe flock With a 10 % incidence of lameness - losses would be around £7 per ewe or £4200 per year

Lameness in lambs Severe scald can stop lambs growing Twin lambs growing at 350 g/day reach 40 kg in about 14 weeks Scald could slow finishing by 3 or more weeks - on a falling market this could mean £5.00 per lamb or more

The Main Causes of Lameness Scald Foot rot White line disease Fibromas and granulomas Strawberry foot rot (orf) Laminitis

Other Causes of Lameness Contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) Post-dipping lameness Injury - e.g. soil balling, foreign bodies Arthritis – old age, joint ill Tick pyaemia Foot and Mouth Disease

Causes of lameness

Foot and Mouth Disease

White Line Disease

Injuries - Puncture Wounds

Injuries - Soil Balling

Strawberry Foot Rot

Toe Fibroma

Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis

80% of lameness is due to Foot rot and Scald

Scald Occurs in wet,warm lush grazing conditions Causes a dermatitis between the claws Non-invasive Sporadic outbreaks Foot bathing controls Caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum

Foot Rot Caused by F. necrophorum AND Dichelobacter nodosus 10 strains of D.nodosus 7 Benign strains 3 Virulent strains Does not live on pasture for more than 10 days

Foot Rot Clinical signs depend on Strain of D. nodosus Genetic predisposition Environment / Season

Foot Rot

Treatments for Foot Rot Paring Foot bathing Antibiotics Vaccination All treatments work best in non-transmission periods

Foot Paring Inspect all feet Only trim if necessary Never draw blood! Use minimum cuts Use clean sharp tools Disinfect between feet Destroy clippings Isolate infected sheep

Foot trimming

Foot Bathing

Foot bathing Only worth doing if under the right conditions and according to recommendations Zinc sulphate (10% solution) Formalin (3 % solution) - 3 pints in 12 gallons of water Proprietary products

Effective foot bathing Choose a dry day Run sheep through water bath to clean feet Follow manufacturer’s recommendations Let sheep stand on dry clean surface for up to an hour Turn out to fresh, dry pasture

Foot bathing

Cost of foot bathing 3 % formalin - 86 litre bath - £ % zinc sulphate litre bath - £24 But Zinc sulphate is 1) more effective and 2) re-usable

Formalin

Zinc sulphate

Antibiotics Infectious disease Use in severe cases Use correct dose Treat before trimming Check 1 week later Trim foot Cull non-responders

Vaccination Promotes improved foot health Must continue with routine foot care Timing important Short-term protection Warning - local reactions

Other Control Measures Attend to lameness cases promptly - a serious welfare issue Diagnosis essential(CODD), consult veterinary surgeon if necessary Cull persistently lame sheep Breeding - select replacements from ‘resistant’ families Seek veterinary advice for the best approach Consider eradication in ‘closed’ flocks

Foot Rot Eradication BUT D.nodosus does not live on pasture for more than 10 days THEREFORE Pasture not grazed by sheep for 10 days is foot rot free Highly contagious - A flock problem

Foot Rot Eradication Day 5 – Re-examine infected group and re-treat Day 0 – Examine all of the flock. Footbath all sound sheep and turn out onto clean pasture Treat all lame sheep and segregate from main flock Day10 – Re-examine all of the flock and footbath. Day 25 – Re-examine all of the flock and footbath. Cull all chronically lame sheep in the infected group Day 15 – Re-examine infected group and re-treat

Flock Disease Security Try to source foot rot free stock Isolate all oncoming animals for 4 weeks Examine every foot of every sheep Treat foot rot cases and keep isolated Mix with resident flock only when completely free of disease

Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Sheep A written health and welfare programme should be prepared for each flock Developed with appropriate veterinary and technical advice Should include foot care Review and update annually