| | Every sheep operation is different. No matter where or how the operation is run lamb survival is critical for good animal welfare and is also the basis of a profitable operation.
Getting healthy lambs to market is not simple nor easy. Producers have to successfully juggle weather, geography, feed quality and quantity, animal nutrition and body condition, genetics, reproduction, lambing season, lamb growth and carcass quality, flock health and animal care. The goal of flock health management is to prevent or minimize animal disease and suffering and to reduce the costs in every lamb marketed.
Some diseases are more easily managed than others. Enterotoxemia is a severe bacterial infection of lambs, caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens. It is also known as pulpy kidney or overeating disease. It can occur in nursing lambs or in weaned feedlot lambs.
Young, nursing lambs will stop sucking, show signs of depression and abdominal pain, and may develop diarrhea. They usually show signs of illness for several hours before dying, but may be found dead. In weaned lambs on growing or finishing rations the first symptom is usually sudden death. The disease most often occurs in the fastest growing lambs. Treatment of lambs with Enterotoxemia is usually ineffective simply because the first sign of a problem are dead lambs.
Research reported from the "Fallen Stock" project in the United Kingdom confirms that Enterotoxemia is a disease that can be effectively managed (2015, AHDB, Beef & Lamb). The project identified patterns in lamb death losses. The first occurred when young lambs, two to eight weeks of age, and their mothers had not been protected by vaccination. A second group of lamb deaths occurred when the lamb diets were changed, roughly at weaning. In this weaned lamb group most lambs had not received a booster shot prior to the shift to the weaning diet.
Most clostridial vaccines work very well in sheep and are very cost-effective. A clostridial vaccination program is therefore practical and effective in controlling losses. Protection of nursing lambs can be achieved by correctly vaccinating pregnant ewes. Vaccination of lambs provides protection in the post weaning period. Different vaccines have specific recommended programs for use and dose rate. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
The goal of an effective flock health management plan is to prevent disease, minimize animal suffering and to reduce losses and costs. Have a veterinary practitioner and a nutritionist on your advisory team. For specific flock health advice always contact your veterinarian.
For additional information go to http://www.ablamb.ca producer resource module "Sheep & Goat Management in Alberta” - Health" |
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