Sheep
Quarantine: why and how long?
With sheep sales underway and many more on the horizon, now is an ideal time to review your quarantine procedures to avoid bringing in more than you bargained for. Buying in any stock can pose a significant health risk to your flock. If done well, quarantine can remove or reduce the risk posed by incoming animals.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 13/09/2024
A shortage of EAE vaccine: what sheep farmers need to know
Sheep farmers are likely already aware of the issues with the availability of the Enzootic Abortion (EAE) vaccine prior to this tupping season. This shortage could lead to difficulties for some flocks next lambing season. The impact of this vaccine shortage will vary depending on individual flock circumstances.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 12/09/2024
Sustainable Farming Initiative - Roundworms
As part of the second year of Scottish Government’s ‘Preparing for Sustainable Farming’ initiative, farmers can claim £250 for undertaking up to two animal health interventions in 2024. Two important interventions which will receive funding (and could be claimed for separately on mixed units) are the control of roundworms in sheep and cattle.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 22/08/2024
Haemonchus diagnosed in multiple submissions this week
We have had several submissions of lambs this week. In four of the five submissions, there have been significant numbers of Haemonchus worms visible in the abomasal washes, associated with worm egg counts of 13,650-64,800 strongyle eggs.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 16/08/2024
June cases
Another month has ended and we still seem to be having a very Scottish summer. The balance of submissions and diagnoses has taken its usual seasonal shift away from abortion and towards parasitic disease. Nematodirosis and Coccidiosis were diagnosed across all the hubs and central laboratory in June.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 19/07/2024
Nematodirus
We have recently seen a run of Nematodirus cases in lambs in our PM room. The whole of Scotland and Northern England is currently showing as high or very high risk on the Nematodirus forecast, and we usually see our peak of cases in late May and early June in this area of South West Scotland.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 13/06/2024
Look out for lead
May to August are the peak months for seeing lead poisoning cases with 74% of our diagnoses made during the summer months after turn out, with younger animals more susceptible.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 30/05/2024
Premium Sheep and Goat Health Schemes – podcasts
We have recently produced a few podcasts discussing MV and Johne’s disease Accreditation and Monitoring Schemes, which will hopefully be a useful introduction to the schemes, or a refresher for vets already involved with PSGHS clients.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 17/05/2024
March case highlights
March showed the usual seasonal increase in submissions to both the central laboratory in Edinburgh and to the PM room at Thurso. As lambing and calving continues at pace there are understandably queries about Schmallenberg virus (SBV) presentations, sampling and incidence.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 25/04/2024
Lamb mortality in the first month of life
With the bulk of flocks getting through their lambing, and the weather not really improving, losses in the first month of life may well be higher this year than most. Gross postmortem examination can provide a quick answer for farmers, with diagnostic testing used to support the diagnosis.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 23/04/2024
Parasite risks this spring
The weather conditions this spring could increase the risk of coccidiosis with some very high oocyst counts already recorded in earlier born lambs and suckled calves.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 19/04/2024
Campylobacter abortion in sheep
Although too early in the season to finalise the numbers Campylobacter abortion in sheep is a common diagnosis this season, a continuation of trends set in recent years.…
- SRUC Veterinary Services
- 14/04/2024