Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
      • Whatever happened to?
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • National Arable and Grassland Awards
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. August 2025 issue
      2. 2025 Drills and Seeds supplement
      3. July 2025 issue
      4. June 2025 issue
      5. Cereals event guide 2025
      6. May 2025 issue
      7. April 2025 issue
      8. March 2025 issue
      9. 2025 Tyre Developments supplement
      10. February 2025 issue
      11. National Arable and Grassland Awards supplement
      12. January 2025 issue
      13. December 2024 issue
      14. November 2024 issue
      15. October 2024 issue
      16. September 2024 issue
      17. August 2024 Issue
      18. 2024 Drills and Seeds supplement
      19. July 2024 Issue
      20. Cereals Supplement
      21. June 2024 Issue
      22. May 2024 Issue
      23. April 2024 Issue
      24. Tyres and Tracks Supplement
      25. March 2024 Issue
      26. National Arable & Grassland Award – Meet the Finalists
      27. February 2024 Issue
      28. January 2024 Issue
      29. December 2023
      30. Agritechnica Preview Supplement
      31. November 2023
      32. October 2023
      Featured

      August 2025 issue available now

      By Matthew TiltAugust 1, 2025
      Recent

      August 2025 issue available now

      August 1, 2025

      2025 Drills and Seeds supplement available now

      August 1, 2025

      July 2025 issue available now

      July 9, 2025
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Livestock

    UK sheep producers urged to protect lambs from spring disease threats

    John SwireBy John SwireMarch 20, 20192 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    Sheep pregnancy scanners across the UK have reported variable results over the winter with some flocks in some areas carrying 20% to 40% fewer lambs than last year. Farmers are therefore being urged to protect every newborn lamb this spring from preventable disease threats.

    “It looks like lamb numbers may well be down nationally this year, but if we get a kind spring weather-wise that will certainly help producers maximise the number of lambs reared, which is what counts. However, what sheep producers simply cannot afford to do is lose more lambs to easily preventable diseases,” says sheep vet Phillipa Page from Flock Health Limited.

    Ms Page says that farmers facing a lower lamb crop must not react to a depressed productivity challenge by skimping on essential vaccinations that will protect young lambs against diseases that can cause significant mortalities.

    “Clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis are both silent killers. Typically, the first sign a farmer will see is a dead lamb; sometimes losses can be catastrophic.”

    “In an era when proven and highly cost-effective vaccines are available, no lamb should die from a clostridial disease,” she adds.

    Ms Page says that it is impossible to control the multiple and varied stress-related ‘trigger’ factors (e.g.  a sudden change in the weather, change in diet or parasite infection) for clostridial disease and pasteurellosis in lambs, so vaccination of these newborns is essential.

    “Provided a ewe has been fully vaccinated against these two key disease threats, the colostrum her lambs receive shortly after birth gives them short-lived protection against pasteurellosis and clostridial diseases like pulpy kidney, braxy, blackleg and tetanus. However, this so-called passive immunity only lasts for so long. This means lambs must be vaccinated themselves from three weeks of age.”

    Key points:

    • Clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis are real threats in unvaccinated lambs.
    • Colostrum from vaccinated ewes gives disease protection to lambs provided they receive enough in the first 24 hours, but only lasts for a limited period.
    • Vaccination of newborn lambs from three weeks of age will protect them from the main clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis.

     

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleThe M2erlin just got smarter: new app allows remote monitoring of milking robots
    Next Article New security feature locks thieves out
    John Swire

    Read Similar Stories

    August 2025 issue available now

    August 1, 2025

    2025 Drills and Seeds supplement available now

    August 1, 2025

    July 2025 issue available now

    July 9, 2025
    Most Read Stories

    Low carbon fertiliser launched

    August 27, 2025

    Krone announces new generation of digital cameras to improve safety during operation

    August 27, 2025

    Mitas becomes general partner to World Ploughing Championships

    August 27, 2025
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

    Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Farmers Weekly
    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.