Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) sheep chair Willie Shaw has called for a scheme for sheep dipping to be introduced as “a matter of urgency” to tackle the issue of sheep scab.
Shaw said: “Scab is rampant at the minute, and it is having a big impact on the thrive of flocks up and down the country.
“Widespread dipping is now required, and we are looking for a scheme with a payment rate of €10 per head so the situation can be brought under control,” he said.
Shaw explained that the €4/ewe payment under the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) if farmers select the plunge dipping to control external parasites “has not been enough to deal with the problem.
“What we need now is a standalone dipping scheme that all sheep farmers can get behind and that has a payment rate of €10/head.
“The impact of sheep scab is significant both financially and from an animal welfare point of view.
“As well as reduced weight gain, infected sheep suffer from intense itching and irritation, leading to excessive scratching and wool loss.
“It is a big problem, and addressing it effectively requires a comprehensive and well-funded approach,” Shaw said.
The ICSA sheep chair said: “Establishing a dedicated sheep dipping scheme and setting a payment rate of €10/head would incentivise a lot more farmers to dip, ensuring that a larger proportion of the sheep population is treated.
“This would not only help to control scab but also improve the overall welfare of the flocks and mitigate the economic losses associated with the disease,” he added.
Sheep scab is a notifiable condition in Ireland, which means outbreaks in flocks should be notified to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
According to the animal health surveillance at the DAFM, “sheep scab is a contagious, highly pruritic disease caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis”.
Affected sheep develop large, yellowish, scaly, crusted lesions accompanied by damage to the wool and hide.
“Emaciation and secondary bacterial infections can occur in untreated animals, pregnant sheep give birth to smaller lambs, and lambs that become infested may lose condition rapidly and die,” the DAFM has stated.