Sheep

Sheep abortions with no diagnosis

Where there has been significant reproductive loss in a flock and no diagnosed cause, now is a good time to take stock when it comes to future health planning and when considering pre-tupping abortion vaccine programmes.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
18/07/2023

Dumfries ovine abortion diagnoses 2023

EAE, Toxoplasmosis and Campylobacter were almost inevitably the most common diagnoses with Toxoplasmosis taking the top spot this year.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
18/07/2023

Sustainable farming initiative: Sheep and cattle roundworms

As part of Scottish Governments ‘Preparing for Sustainable Farming’ initiative, farmers can claim £250 for undertaking up to two animal health interventions per year in 2023 and 2024. Two important interventions which will receive funding are the control of roundworms in sheep and cattle.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
28/06/2023

Nematodirus reminder

SRUC Veterinary Services recently diagnosed nematodirosis as the cause of death in a six-week-old lamb. This was somewhat unexpected as spring has been quite cold so far. It does highlight however how this disease can be farm, and indeed field, specific.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
09/05/2023

Lamb dysentery risk

We are now entering the period where lamb dysentery risk is highest in the main April lambing flock. Risk may be higher this year for some flocks depending on Clostridial vaccine availability.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
21/04/2023

Suspicious that you have a hairy shaker lamb?

We are offering free border disease PCR testing on lambs born this spring where there is a genuine suspicion of persistent border disease infection.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
17/03/2023

Metabolic sampling ewes pre-lambing plus a quick fluke update

Spring is approaching and so is the ideal time for checking the nutritional status of ewes pre-lambing.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/02/2023

Ocular disease investigation in sheep

SRUC Veterinary Services usually receives more ocular swabs for the investigation of ovine eye disease around this time of year. When investigating outbreaks, it is important to consider the main pathogens likely to be involved and which tests would be the most useful.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
13/01/2023

Systemic Pasteurellosis in lambs

Systemic Pasteurellosis is caused by the bacteria Bibersteinia trehalosi and is a common cause of death in weaned lambs between September and December.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
28/11/2022

It’s not Fluke it’s Worms

Diagnoses that we make in the post mortem room can sometimes give us a skewed picture of livestock health locally and are often assumed to be the tip of the iceberg. A run of similar cases might therefore suggest quite a big iceberg!…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/11/2022

Acorn toxicity (2022)

Oak trees are reported to have produced many more acorns this year compared to 2021. These can be attractive to livestock after a period of feed restriction or following stormy weather when large numbers are blown from the trees.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/11/2022

Toxovax shortage

We are aware that practices have been notified of a shortage of Toxovax, which may remain unavailable until after the pre-tupping window for most farmers. In the absence of alternative vaccines, farmers may be concerned about the impact of not vaccinating on their flock productivity.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
20/09/2022