[Marti615]

Hi,

Can someone explain how sheep would get pneumonia by being brought into a stable when they are wet?

I know pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by infection by microorganisms or parasites. I know that bad weather and physiological stress may reduce a sheep's immune function, allowing infectious microorganisms to cause pneumonia.

But why would being brought into a stable trigger pneumonia? Unless the sheep were really stressed by being indoors, I would have thought that being dry and in less draft would help, so I am interested in understanding why this is said not to be the case.

Thank you.

[PK]

I think bringing sheep with wet fleeces potentially raises the humidity levels which provides the conditions for bacteria, viruses and fungi to multiple and spread.

[pgkevet]

I'd speculate the primary reason is reduced ventilation. Also increased dust/hay particles, and possibly some reservoir of virus protected in proteins stuck to roofs etc all leading to a higher air burden of same. Add your speculation of increased stress from herding and changed environment to the above.

[twizzel]

Humidity, in a tighter packed area than out in a field, ventilation all contribute to pneumonia. Nothing wrong with housing sheep but bringing them in dry will help prevent pneumonia not to mention keep the bedding drier and therefore reducing foot problems caused by damp wet bedding.

[landroverroy]

 A few sheep in a well ventilated stable aren't likely to come to any harm. After all humidity outside is 100% when it's raining! So the animals are actually a lot less likely to suffer stress when they are cosy inside (even with wet fleeces) than they are outside getting colder and wetter.


Many people with just a few sheep have a shelter for them to go in when the weather's bad. Surely they're not going to shut them out if  the sheep don't manage to get inside before it rains [size=78%]     [/size]

[harmony]

I think Landroverroy's point about ventilation is a key one. Many stables are not well ventilated.

[hexhammeasure]

ventilation is key and also damp animals breathing warm are into an enclosed space will warm up the shed causing ideal bacterial breeding conditions which can be inhaled and not blown away by winds as happens outside

[Backinwellies]

Agree with all above ....   ventilation is vital ....(stables are for horses not sheep and you wouldn't put away a wet horse)   what feels drafty to you is probably just about ventilated enough!....  wet sheep can take days to dry in a shed ....    Sheep are designed to be out in all weathers (that's what lanolin is for)  ....  they come in for our benefit not theirs generally.   
 Pneumonia loves warm and wet conditions whether inside or out.

[Marches Farmer]

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation.  We have an old-fashioned 50 year old pole barn, used for everything sheep-related and for calf-rearing.  It has a high roof and is open to the wind blowing through from all directions.  We put up low baffles to protect lambs and calves as necessary but the air above their heads is constantly replaced.  Even so, we bring forward housing the ewes for lambing a couple of days if rain is forecast on the date we'd originally set.

[Marti615]

Thank you all for your replies. I have a much better understanding now.

[harmony]

To improve airflow in a stable which generally have solid doors and sheep will be below the main airflow use a hurdle across the doorway instead.