The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: NewLifeOnTheFarm on September 19, 2016, 08:13:46 am
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Just wondering what diseases/parasites etc people use preventative methods against? It seems to vary so much when I've spoken to farmers. I'm just trying to get an idea about what we need to get in preparation for our sheep next year. We live on Aberdeenshire, have a lot of grazing that we can rotate around. I was told the heptavac p was probably all I needed but looking for a general consensus?
Thanks
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Have a word with your vet about quarantine worming your sheep before turning them out to prevent bringing in resistant worms to your land. Heptavac P and enjoy them.
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Heptavac-P as annual routine.
Worm when necessary - if necessary.
Fluke if and when the vet advises it.
Flystrike preventative in spring for lambs, possibly a few weeks after shearing for ewes, again take vet's advice about which, when and what.
You may need something to deter ticks, lice, keds - ask your vet. Lice and keds just irrirate the sheep, and healthy sheep shouldn't get too affected, but ticks can carry disease, so it's worth keeping those little biters at bay.
If the land has had sheep before, you may find you have orf. It will affect lambs in late spring / early summer and you may need to vaccinate lambs if you find you have a problem. But don't vaccinate unless you know you have a problem, as the vaccine will introduce the disease to your property if you don't already have it.
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Heptavac is the most vital vaccine IMO. We don't use any other vaccines but worm/fluke lambs in May and ewes in Spring/Autumn. We are in a very flukey area- it's worth talking to your vet to see what worming schedule they would recommend. Ours have had crovect every 6 weeks but next year we will move to Clik now that we've bought some breeding ewes (up until now we have just had pet lambs).
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If the previous owner kept sheep ask what meds were used. You'll have to register with a farm animal vet anyway so asking their advice is a good start. They will know if fluke is likely to be a problem, what the main disease and parasite challenges are in your area, and what minerals may be deficient in your soil. Tim Tyne's book will give you lots of useful info. If you're buying from a high health flock and moving them onto land which hasn't had sheep grazing on it for over a year you may be able to get away with very few problems.