Sheep

Question 1

time of year can be indicative for dz dx. what are the main concerns around September/oct –> March

Answer 1

abortion

Question 2

what time are year is lambing (usually) and when is tupping

Answer 2

tupping - sept/oct for march lambing

Question 3

as always how can diseases be avoided on farm?

Answer 3

• biosecurity
• reduce dz challenge - hygiene, ventilation, stocking; test and cull policy; drug treatments (ATH and abx)
• improve resistance (vac, good management and selective breeding)

Question 4

there is strategic and emergency thereapeutics, give an example of each:

Answer 4

• strategic - ATH (fuke, PGE)

- emergency - abx, NSAIds - mastitis

Question 5

how many sheep are there in the UK

Answer 5

32 M (4% of world sheep pop)

Question 6

give an example of a hill, upland and lowland breed

Answer 6

hill - swaledale
upland - blue faced Leicester
lowland - texal

Question 7

desc the basic wrkingso feach type of sheep farm

Answer 7

hill - hardy, 1 lamb

upland - large, fast growing, prolific. cross hill breed to long-wool male = mule

Question 8

what are EBV

Answer 8

estimated breeding values - heritable traits, breeding index expressed against a herd/national average
NB remember to half the rams potential, when mixed with ewe

Question 9

give the common EBVs for sheed

Answer 9

• no lambs
• milkiness
• lamb growth in 8wks
• scan weight (21wks)
• carcass conformation
• mature size (ewe kg at 1st mating)

Question 10

what is a gross margin

Answer 10

output - variable costs (feed, bedding, replacements, vets)

Question 11

what is a net margin

Answer 11

gross margin - fixed costs (rent, utilities, labour)

Question 12

What is the average net margin of a UK sheep farm

Answer 12

-£16.51 for a lowland; -£13 for upland/hill

Question 13

what are the main KPIs

Answer 13

• scanning %
• % lambs reared/ewe
• lamb growth rates
• cull rate and ewe mortality
• ewe:tup ratio

Question 14

what is the scanning % target

Answer 14

195% lowland; 175% upland/hill

Question 15

what is the target % lambs reared/ewe

Answer 15

147% and 132%

Question 16

whats the target DLWG kg/d for lambs

Answer 16

0.35kg/d

Question 17

whats the ideal ewe:tup

Answer 17

(40:1)

Question 18

what are the impt components of a flock health plan

Answer 18

• assurance scheme req
• flock KPI and records
• biosec
• nutrition
• para control
• vaccine
• euth policy
• fertility and lambing management
• mastitis and lameness protocols

Question 19

when are the key times of year to check on sheep flocks

Answer 19

pre-tupping - summer. check fert, lamb growth, para and lameness, BCS
pre-lambing - winter. check scanning data, nutrition, dystocia and colostrum protocols

Question 20

what could be reaons for low scanning %

Answer 20

• seasonal
• infectious infert (toxo or border dz)
• ewe factors (age, BCS, dz - fluke, lame, Maedi Visna)
• rams (as afor ewes)
• infectious abortion

Question 21

causes for neonatal mortality

Answer 21

• infections
• starving
• hypothermia
• ZnS turb test (colostrum)

Question 22

causes of grower mortality

Answer 22

• clostridal
• pasteurellosis
• para
• trace element def
• nutrition

Question 23

what are the SCOPS principles

Answer 23

• adv on good ATH usage
• dose to heaviest
• good technique
• in refugia pop

Question 24

what management controls should farmers employ bw july and September

Answer 24

ewe and ram fertility assessment
ID breeding goals
give abortion vacc

Question 25

how long is sheep gestation

Answer 25

145d (5mths ish)

Question 26

during pregnancy what measures are undertaken to the ewes

Answer 26

- nematode tx and fluke tx - clost and past vac - dagging - scanning - ewe nutrition - foot-rot vacc

Question 27

name common diseases, which biosecurity can prevent

Answer 27

- enzootic abortion - vac and source only EAE accred sheep - maedi visna - source accred only - CLA (caseous lymph adenitis) - blood test and isolate new stock - CODD or footrot - foot vax, quarantine - orf - quarantine sheep scab - quarentne an dtx with MLs or OP dip - worms - dose all new stock

Question 28

how long should sheep be quarentines

Answer 28

28d

Question 29

what treatments should you give to quarantines sheep

Answer 29

sheep scab - IVM x 2doses, q7d ATH - monopantel and triclabendazole vac - footvax, EAE, clostridial, pasteurella Footbath

Question 30

what tx should dogs recieve

Answer 30

tapeworm vac q6wks | keep away from carcasses

Question 31

how else can biosecurity of a famr be improved

Answer 31

- clean and disinf station and protocols for workers, vehicles and equip - assess fencing, public footpaths - signs, neighbouring stock

Question 32

what BCS should ewes be at tupping

Answer 32

hill - 2-3 | lowland - 3-3.5

Question 33

what is the target preg loss

Answer 33

<2%

Question 34

what is the most common cause of abortion

Answer 34

chlamydia abortus (43%) then toxo, then campy, then salmonella

Question 35

name some less common causes of ovine abortion

Answer 35

``` - q fever Yersinia e coli listeria border disease schmallenberg tickborn fever ```

Question 36

what actons do you take when you ID a aborted ewe

Answer 36

- isolate - remove contam material and burn - take sample: foetus, placenta, blood and vaginal swab - NB zoonotic risk!

Question 37

which 2 abortive agents can you vac against

Answer 37

toxo and chylamydia

Question 38

which path causes enzootic abortion

Answer 38

chlamydia abortus

Question 39

what are the basics of c. abortus

Answer 39

``` bact gram -ve cocci good at avoiding immune syst replicates intracellularly (trophoblastic epithelial cells) placentitis - thick and necrotic ```

Question 40

what is the route of infection for c. abortus

Answer 40

oral infection from discharges or contaminated abortive material

Question 41

what is the abortion patern of c. abortus

Answer 41

if 90+d gestation, then might be okay if <90d gestation, will abort after 90d OR the ewe will be latently infected and abort next pregn if not preg at time of infection - she will be latent and abort next time if ewe lambes born to an infected mother will abort at their first lambing

Question 42

do ewes ever become immune to c abortus

Answer 42

yes - after 1x abortion. few become carriers..

Question 43

how does a placentitis from c abortus cause abortion

Answer 43

- affects nutritional transport and hormone production so therefore damages lamb - c abortus also causes inflamation to lambs organs

Question 44

what are the clinical signs of c abortus

Answer 44

- abortion after 90d - weak/dying lambs - sheep aren't ill

Question 45

how do you dz c abortus

Answer 45

- late preg abortion - necrotic placentitis - ZN staining of placenta, foetus, vag d/c to ID organism - PCR is possible

Question 46

how do you tx for c abortus

Answer 46

- isolate affected ewes and stop spread | - give ALL yet to lambs Long acting OTC 20mg/kg, 2 doses q2wks

Question 47

how do you prevent c abortus

Answer 47

- EAE accredited ewes, closed flock system | - vac !