Government Funding Blood Testing Helps Sheep Farmers Under Stress

Sheep farmers may now use a government-funded blood testing programme, called FlockCheck, to assist in detecting the cause of lamb mortality. Farmers can talk to their veterinarian and request blood tests to check for toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion (EAE).

Breeders should get in touch with a vet to use the programme if over 2% of their sheep are experiencing infertility or abortion.

According to the data from FlockCheck’s test outcomes, many aborted ewes examined had toxoplasmosis or EAE (a small number had both). These can decrease the ratio of lambs per ewes mated, adding to the amount of work farmers must do during lambing season.

As a result of this, profit may be diminished- however, employing the blood testing scheme can combat this.

Dr Kat Baxter-Smith, MSD’s Animal Health veterinary adviser, explained that “Farmers can take advantage of this subsidised scheme by asking their vet to take blood samples from six to eight aborted, unvaccinated ewes, or from barren ewes or ones that have produced weakly lambs. Experience has shown that the results” from the blood tests “certainly help vets and their farmer clients make more informed decisions about appropriate flock health measures.”

“Sheep pick up the toxoplasma parasite from the environment. Infected cats shed toxoplasma eggs in their faeces and sheep become infected when they ingest these eggs from contaminated pasture, feed and water.”

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