HERD HEALTH - Group Lamb Health

Question 1

How should you approach investigating group lamb health?

Answer 1

1. Farm history
2. Examine environment, housing and nutrition
3. Data analysis
4. Clinical examination of the lambs
5. Clinical examination of the ewes
6. Lamb post mortems (PM)
7. Additional diagnostic testing
8. Implement preventative measures
9. Review

Question 2

Which history questions are beneficial to ask when investigating group lamb health?

Answer 2

1. How many lambs are affected (in a percentage)?
2. How old are the affected lambs?
3. What are the clinical signs?
4. Have you seen these clinical signs before?
5. When did you first notice these clinical signs?
6. Have you treated and if so how and what was the response?
7. What breed were the ewes and rams?
8. What have the ewe body condition scores and nutrition been?
9. How old are the ewes?
10. Have the ewes had any clinical signs?
11. Management at lambing?
12. Ewe and lamb vaccination history?
13. Colostrum management?
14. Umbilical management?
15. Lamb tail docking and castration methods and timing?

Question 3

What data is beneficial to analyse when investigating group lamb health?

Answer 3

Records on number of ewes bred
Ultrasound scanning records
Records of lambs born dead and alive
Records on number of lambs turned out to pasture
Records on number of lambs weaned
Records on number of lambs sold or kept for breeding

Question 4

When does the majority of lamb mortality occur?

Answer 4

Perinatal stage
Neonatal stage

Question 5

What are the risk factors for neonatal lamb mortality?

Answer 5

Low lamb birthweight
Failure of passive transfer
High litter size
Low ewe body condition score
Born late in lambing season
Inexperienced/young mothers
Male lambs
Orphan lambs

Question 6

How does low lamb birthweight increase the risk of neonatal mortality?

Answer 6

When lambs are born, they have a big surface area but low body mass and thus are prone to hypothermia, so they have brown adipose tissue to generate heat. However, lambs with decreased body weight have decreased brown adipose stores and thus are at increased risk of hypothermia

Question 7

At which birthweights is there increased risks of lamb mortality?

Answer 7

Less than 3.5kg
More than 5.5kg (increased dystocia risk)

Question 8

Which two main factors influence lamb birthweights?

Answer 8

Genetics
Nutrition

Be aware that farmers often restrict feed to try and prevent big lambs and dystocia, but this can lead to low birthweights and mortality - advise them that keeping feed conistent is better if the genetics are appropriate

Question 9

How does a low ewe body conditon score increase the risk of lamb mortality?

Answer 9

Ewe body condition score affects lamb viability, mothering, colostrum and milk quality and quantity

Question 10

Why does being born late in the lambing season increase the risk of lamb mortality?

Answer 10

The lambing facilities are more contaminated near the end of the lambing season, so there is increased risk of disease and mortality

Question 11

Why are orphan lambs at an increased risk of mortality?

Answer 11

Poor colostrum provisions
Nutrition is very artificial
Increased risk of red gut

Question 12

What is red gut in orphan lambs?

Answer 12

Red gut is the term used to describe the inflammation and distension of the intestines in orphan lambs often as a result of their artificial nutrition

Question 13

How can you prevent red gut in orphan lambs?

Answer 13

Feed warm milk for the first 7 days and then bring temperature down to room temperature
Ensure adequate fibre intake
Wean off of milk early

Question 14

What are the basic steps of a lamb post mortem (PM)?

Answer 14

1. Assess the outside of the lamb, checking the head, hooves, tail and naval
2. Remove the skin
3. Open the abdomen
4. Open the thorax

Question 15

What is a key sign the lamb took a breath when alive, on post mortem (PM)?

Answer 15

If the lungs are pale pink and float in water, this indicates the lamb took a breath in life

Question 16

What is a key sign the lamb suckled when alive, on post mortem (PM)?

Answer 16

Milk present in the abomasum (but be aware the lamb may have been stomach tubed)
Meconium has been passed

Question 17

What is a key sign that the lamb walked when alive, on post mortem (PM)?

Answer 17

No soft ‘slippers’ covering the soles of the hooves

Question 18

What are key signs of dystocia on lamb post mortem (PM)?

Answer 18

Swollen head
Oedema over the hindquarters
Meconium staining
Fractured ribs
Ruptured liver

Question 19

What is a key sign that the lamb metabolised its brown adipose tissue in life, on post mortem (PM)?

Answer 19

Metabolised cardiac and renal fat will have a purplish appearance

Question 20

Which additional factors should you assess on lamb post mortem (PM)?

Answer 20

Evidence of infectious disease
Evidence of goitre
Evidence of a congenital abnormality

Question 21

Which additional diagnostic tests could you do to investigate group lamb health?

Make sure to consider if these are necessary and will have any affect on your treatment/prevention plan

Answer 21

Brix refractometry (colostrum and serum) to assess passive transfer
Ewe dietary analysis
Ewe metabolic profiling
Bacterial culture
Toxin isolation
Parasitology
Virus isolation
Serology
Histopathology

Question 22

What can be done to prevent lamb mortality?

Answer 22

Optimise ewe nutrition
Vaccinations
Hygiene
Good lighting
Monitoring
Stocking density
Compact lambing season
Colostrum management
Umbilical management
Regular checks

Question 23

How can a compact lambing season help to prevent lamb mortality?

Answer 23

A more compact lambing season means the ewes give birth at around the same time, so there will be less lambs born at the tail end of the season that will be exposed to increased contamination and be at an increased risk of mortality

Question 24

How quickly should lambs ingest colostrum?

Answer 24

Lambs should ingest colostrum within 2 hours following lambing

Question 25

How much colostrum should lambs receive within their first feed?

Answer 25

Lambs should receive 50ml/kg of colostrum in their first feed

Question 26

How much colostrum should lambs receive within their first 24 hours of life?

Answer 26

Lambs should receive 200 to 300ml/kg of colostrum in their first 24 hours of life

Question 27

How can you check lambs in an outdoor lambing system have ingested colostrum?

Answer 27

It is harder to monitor colostrum ingestion in lambs in an outdoor lambing system, however you can assess if their tummys are full and they seem BAR (whilst ensuring they don't have abdominal distension due to watery mouth)

Question 28

What should you do if the lamb's own mother's colostrum is not available?

Answer 28

Use fresh colostrum from another sheep from the same farm Use frozen colostrum from another sheep from the same farm Use bovine colostrum Use artifical colostrum

Question 29

What is the risk of giving probiotics to lambs before they have their first feed of colostrum?

Answer 29

The nutritional content of pobiotics can stimulate closure of the enterocytes resulting in decreased IgG absorption from the colostrum

Question 30

What should you be aware of if using bovine colostrum for lambs?

Answer 30

It is important to make sure the cow is vaccinated against clostridial disease and is Johne's and tuberculosis free. Furthermore, cow colostrum should be pooled before given to lambs as some cows can produce antibodies agaisnt sheep erythrocytes, resulting in neonatal isoerythrolysis. Pooling the colostrum from multiple cows reduces this risk

Question 31

How often should lambs be being checked?

Answer 31

At least twice daily

Question 32

What are some of the most common diseases you will see in lambs?

Answer 32

Starvation/hypothermia Watery mouth Neonatal diarrhoea Neonatal bacteraemia Orf Congential conditions Umbilical prolapse Neonatal isoerythrolysis due to cow colostrum

Question 33

What are the clinical signs of starvation and hypothermia in lambs?

Answer 33

Dull, curled up lambs, often away from the dam | They are a bit sad

Question 34

How long do the brown adipose tissue reserves last in lambs?

Answer 34

The brown adipose tissue reserves last approximately five hours in lambs

Question 35

What are the possible underlying causes of starvation and hypothermia in lambs?

Answer 35

Mismothering Maternal mastitis Trauma from birth Concurrent disease

Question 36

How do you treat mildly hypothermic (37-39°C) lambs?

Answer 36

Stomach tube Warm the lamb (heat box or lamp)

Question 37

How should you treat severly hypothermic (less than 37°C) lambs that are less than 5 hours old?

Answer 37

If the lambs are severely hypothermic but less than 5 hours old, warm them (heat box or lamp) and stomach tube them

Question 38

How should you treat severly hypothermic (less than 37°C) lambs that are more than 5 hours old?

Answer 38

If the lambs are severely hypothermic and more than 5 hours old, if they can hold their head up stomach tube and warm them (heat box or lamp). If they can't hold their head up, give a intraperitoneal glucose injection and warm them

Question 39

What is the typical signalement for watery mouth?

Answer 39

Lambs 1 to 3 days old, more common in the lambs born at the end of lambing season

Question 40

What are the risk factors for watery mouth?

Answer 40

Failure of passive transfer Born late in the lambing season

Question 41

What are the early clinical signs of watery mouth?

Answer 41

Dull Cold, wet mouth Reluctance to suckle

Question 42

What are the later clinical signs of watery mouth?

Answer 42

Hypersalivation Abdominal distension Scour or constipation Recumbent

Question 43

How do you treat watery mouth?

Answer 43

Oral fluid therapy NSAIDS Antibiotics Warming | Be aware watery mouth is very challenging to treat

Question 44

How can you prevent watery mouth?

Answer 44

Colostrum management Hygiene Compact lambing season Prophylactic antibiotics (DONT ENCOURAGE THIS)

Question 45

Which pathogens cause neonatal diarrhoea in lambs?

Answer 45

E. coli Cryptosporidium Salmonella Rotavirus Lamb dysentery Coccidia

Question 46

How do you prevent enterotoxigenic e. coli (ETEC) in lambs?

Answer 46

Hygiene Colostrum management

Question 47

What is the typical signalement for enterotoxigenic e. coli (ETEC) infection in lambs?

Answer 47

Lambs less than 2 days old

Question 48

What are the clinical signs of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) in lambs?

Answer 48

Severe brown diarrhoea

Question 49

How do you treat enterotoxigenic e. coli (ETEC) in lambs?

Answer 49

Fluid therapy NSAIDs Antibiotics

Question 50

Which salmonella species typically cause diarrhoea in lambs?

Answer 50

Salmonella typhimurium Salmonella dublin

Question 51

What is the main clinical sign of salmonellosis in lambs?

Answer 51

Haemorrhagic diarrhoea Clinical signs of enterotoxaemia

Question 52

How do you treat salmonellosis in lambs?

Answer 52

Fluid therapy NSAIDs Antibiotics

Question 53

At what age does coccidia cause diarrhoea in lambs?

Answer 53

Coccidia can cause diarrhoea in lambs over 3 weeks old

Question 54

Which pathogen causes lamb dysentery?

Answer 54

Clostrdium perfringens type B

Question 55

What are the clinical signs of lamb dysentery in younger lambs (1 - 3 days old)?

Answer 55

Sudden death Haemorrhagic enteritis on post mortem (PM)

Question 56

What are the clinical signs of lamb dysentery in older lambs (up to 3 weeks old)?

Answer 56

Abdominal pain Haemorrhagic diarrhoea Sudden death

Question 57

How can you diagnose lamb dysentery?

Answer 57

Clostridium perfringens toxin isolation from diarrhoea Post mortem (PM)

Question 58

How do you treat lamb dysentery?

Answer 58

Euthanasia indicated for most cases

Question 59

How can you prevent lamb dysentery?

Answer 59

Clostrial vaccination of ewes Colostrum management

Question 60

What are the clinical signs of mild naval ill in lambs?

Answer 60

Hot, swollen and painful umbilicus ± Pustulent discharge

Question 61

What are the clinical signs of severe naval ill in lambs?

Answer 61

Hot, swollen and painful umbilicus ± Pustulent discharge Depression Failure to suckle Pyrexia ± Lameness

Question 62

How do you treat naval ill in lambs?

Answer 62

Long course of systemic antibiotics (ideally 10 to 14 days) NSAIDs

Question 63

How do you prevent naval ill in lambs?

Answer 63

Hygiene Colostrum management Umbilical management

Question 64

How does meningitis typically present in lambs?

Answer 64

Sudden death

Question 65

Why is septic arthritis ('joint ill') so challenging to control in lambs?

Answer 65

Septic arthritis ('joint ill') is so challenging to control in lambs as it is typically caused by streptococcus dysgalactiae which resides in dry straw and thus difficult to eradicate from lambing environments

Question 66

How do you treat septic arthritis ('joint ill') in lambs?

Answer 66

10 - 14 days antibiotics NSAIDs

Question 67

How do you prevent septic arthritis ('joint ill') in lambs?

Answer 67

Hygiene Colostrum management Umbilical management

Question 68

How does septicaemia typically present in lambs?

Answer 68

Sudden death

Question 69

What are some of the key signs of septicaemia in lambs on post mortem (PM)?

Answer 69

Haemorrhage Oesophageal ulceration Focal grey hepatic lesions | For specific bacteria

Question 70

What is orf?

Answer 70

Orf if an infectious dermatitis caused by pox virus that typically affects the mucocutaneous junctions of the lips of lambs. Ewes nursing infected lambs can develop lesions on their teats

Question 71

What are the consequences of orf?

Answer 71

Orf lesions prevent the lambs from suckling and the ewes will resist suckling due to the lesions on their teats

Question 72

(T/F) Orf is a zoonotic disease

Answer 72

TRUE.

Question 73

How do you treat orf?

Answer 73

Antibiotics if there is secondary bacterial infection NSAIDs Feed the lambs

Question 74

What are the main causes of congenital abnormalities in lambs?

Answer 74

Border disease Schmallenburg virus Blue tongue virus Mineral deficiencies Teratogenic toxins Hereditary conditions

Question 75

What are the signs of border disease in a sheep flock? | Be aware ewes and lambs will be persistently infected with border diseas

Answer 75

Abortion High barren rates Congenital deformities in lambs

Question 76

What are the clinical signs of border disease in lambs?

Answer 76

Low birth weight Weakness Limb deformaties Domed head Neurological signs Wiry wool Abnormally pigmented wool

Question 77

Which hereditary congenital conditions are commonly seen in lambs?

Answer 77

Entropion Atresia ani