27 May 2021
Vets and cattle and sheep farmers contribute to grassroots survey that will help on future targeting of campaigns to improve livestock health, welfare and productivity.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Lameness problems and endemic infectious diseases continue to erode production efficiency and animal health on UK farms, according to results from a sector-wide survey.
Farm vets and farmers were asked to complete a grassroots survey on the priority diseases and syndromes impacting the UK’s cattle and sheep.
In cattle, digital dermatitis and Johne’s disease were seen as major threats by respondents, while lameness and parasitic diseases came high on the list of diseases and syndromes badly impacting sheep flocks.
He said: “Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis [IBR] and BVD also rank highly, even though extreme IBR outbreaks appear to be less common and the threat of BVD has subsided due to eradication progress across the four nations.
“The priority status of viral pneumonia is interesting and pinpoints a recurring threat on many holdings. At a time when vaccination programmes are at the centre of the health management debate this may increase interest in that proactive approach.”
On sheep disease and syndrome priorities flagged in the survey, which attracted more than 600 responses, he said: “Perhaps it is not surprising that foot rot scores so highly; no one can doubt the corrosive impact on body condition and welfare.
“There is also the indirect ripple effect, which threatens the performance and, at times, the survival of lambs from affected ewes.”
He said contagious ovine digital dermatitis scoring so highly “emphasises the severity of the condition and it may indicate its increasing reach into the national flock.”
Mr Miller said: “These results are some of the first that truly take into account those at the coalface of farming, who deal with these diseases and conditions on a daily basis.”
The report can be downloaded from www.ruminanthw.org.uk – see issue 22 of Vet Times for full print story.
