The issue of lameness in sheep flocks is something that never seems to go away and the knock-on effects of it in terms of animal welfare, productivity and profitability on sheep farms are huge.
On Tuesday evening, Cian Condon of Teagasc facilitated a sheep webinar which centred around lameness and parasite control on sheep farms.
He was also joined by his colleagues Tom Coll and Orla Keane for this hour-long session.
In terms of lameness in sheep, Tom Coll spoke on this issue and spoke in detail about how farmers can go about controlling lameness in sheep at housing time.
He said: “First off we need to assess all sheep for any signs of lameness issues. So before they go into the shed, run them through the race and separate any lame sheep from any of the healthy sheep.
“Both groups [lame and healthy sheep] should be run through the footbath. In terms of the lame sheep, you need to be turning them over and see/identify what is causing the problem.
“In most cases, the issue is likely to be scald. Then once you have diagnosed the problem, these sheep need to be treated and isolated. It’s important not to mix those lame sheep with the healthy sheep.
“We should all be working off the basis of ‘two strikes and you are out’. When you treat a lame ewe, leave them for seven to 10 days, and if they are not responding to treatment, they really should be culled. That’s the only way of getting to the root of the problem.
“Any healthy sheep that start to become lame shortly after housing should be removed from the pen immediately and treated and put into the pen with the other lame sheep.
“When footbathing, I’d advise using a 10% copper or zinc sulphate solution and ensuring a standing time of three-to-four minutes is important. But what is even more critical is that the sheep are turned out to a clean, concrete surface or slats, to allow that solution to dry into the hoof – that’s vital.
“It’s important to note that footbathing will only be affective in controlling scald. Antibiotics will be needed for the treatment of Footrot and Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis (CODD). We need to be careful when it comes to antibiotics and not become reliant and overuse them. So speak to your vet for best advice.
“In terms of keeping lameness issues at bay, sheds need to be well-ventilated, with sheep given access to clean, dry bedding. Make sure no troughs are leaking, which will cause bedding to become damp – which will only help to spread bacteria.
“Lime is also useful and can be spread along the feedface to keep this area dry.
“Early intervention is key. Don’t let a lame ewe stay in a pen as it will end up that three or four more ewes will end up becoming lame,” Tom concluded by saying.