291 – Looking after the individual to reduce disease in the flock – A binomial mixed effects model investigating the impact of individual sheep management (Research paper – Green – 2007)
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In Significant Impact Groups: Pathogen management \ Managing sick animals Euthanasia/culling; Breeding for disease resistance or robustness
Species targeted: Sheep;
Age: Not stated;
Summary:
A total of 160 ewes on one farm in England were studied for 18 months. Cases of footrot and interdigital dermatitis in individually identified sheep and treatment and flock control measures were recorded. In this one flock, cases of footrot and interdigital dermatitis were linked and associated with trimming of feet. They were also negatively associated with the use of antibiotics and topical antibiotic sprays in either the first +/- second 2-week period. These results suggest 1) that ‘footrot and interdigital dermatitis are infectious diseases that can be controlled, in part, through the use of antibiotics, which acts to reduce the infectious period of diseased sheep’ and 2) that ‘routine trimming of diseased and healthy feet increase disease, through environmental contamination +/- through increased susceptibility of sheep with recently trimmed feet’.
Where to find the original material: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167587706002078; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2006.09.005
Country: UK
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