Sheep News

NFU Mutual has warned farmers that lambs are at high risk of dog attacks as Easter falls late this year. 

Sheep farmers in the South West of England have been warned of the risk of blowfly strike as the local Blowfly Watch risk alert was raised to amber.

A man from Cornwall has been banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after his pets killed 22 sheep and caused near-misses on the roads while roaming free. It is also claimed that the dogs killed cats and pet rabbits. 

Sheep farmers in England, Scotland and Wales can now ask their vet to test their flocks for exposure to EAE. This popular subsidised diagnostic service helps farmers identify possible reasons for early lamb losses.

The season for disease due to liver fluke in cattle and sheep has been shifting later, and 2024/5 is no exception, SCOPS and COWS warn. 
  

Robert Tucker, from Beera Farm near Tavistock, describes fodder beet as a staple in his armoury of home-grown forages. He has grown 4–6ha of the crop each year since 2019, and before that bought in supplies.

Recent data by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) shows that clostridial diseases consistently rank among the most frequent sheep submission diagnoses, prompting vets to remind farmers of the importance of timely vaccination to avoid such losses.

Johne’s disease is often missed in sheep, but can cause serious production losses. Sarah Kidby spoke to experts about cost-effective control.

Farmers Guide speaks to Elanco’s ruminant technical consultant, Matt Colston, about the key parasites of concern for lambs in the early spring.

The EAE vaccine, Cevac Chlamydia, is now back in stock after supply challenges last year, with vets encouraging farmers to vaccinate their ewe lambs and shearlings for EAE (enzootic abortion of ewes).

The discovery of a strain of avian influenza in a sheep for the first time should be a reminder to sheep keepers of the importance of biosecurity on holdings with poultry, said the National Sheep Association.

The UK’s chief veterinary officer has confirmed a case of influenza of avian origin (H5N1) in a single sheep in Yorkshire following repeat positive milk testing.