12 Aug 2020
Study led by Harper Adams and Hartpury universities has found that sheep producers are not using all the proven measures to control lameness in their flocks.
Vet Times
Job Title
UK sheep producers are being encouraged to implement all the proven measures to control sheep lameness following publication of new research into practical management routines on farm.
It found many sheep farmers have made good progress in controlling flock foot problems since the launch nearly 10 years ago of the industry-accepted FAI Farms Five-Point Plan to reduce sheep lameness.
However, where flocks are not adopting all five points rigorously, disease management is being compromised as a result.
More than 530 UK sheep farmers recently completed an online survey organised by researchers at Harper Adams and Hartpury universities, which examined the practical uptake of the Five-Point Plan.
The results of the survey suggested less focus on trying to achieve long-term rigorous disease control, according to research coordinator Caroline Best.
The researchers were also surprised by the apparent attitude to disease prevention, using vaccination against footrot in particular.
Ms Best (pictured) said: “Non-vaccinating farmers would only consider vaccinating when, on average, percentage lameness increased by 15.7%, suggesting farmers are vaccinating as a reaction to lameness and not using it as a preventive tool.”
The FAI Farms Five-Point Plan to reduce sheep lameness involves:
Farmers who did vaccinate were more likely to cull and quarantine, though less likely to treat affected sheep promptly, which is indicative of a preference for a whole flock management approach to tackling lameness problems.
Ms Best added: “However, overall, farmers were no more likely to adopt the remaining elements of the Five-Point Plan if they were vaccinating, despite industry recommendations that all five points should be implemented concurrently.”
Another concern identified in the research is the extent to which UK sheep farmers continue to routinely trim feet, which has been demonstrated to be an unsuitable practice to reduce lameness prevalence.
In summary, eight key flock management factors were associated with a significantly higher risk of lameness in ewes:
