Using lamb sales data to investigate associations between implementation of disease preventive practices and sheep flock performance

Lima, E.; Lovatt, F.; Davies, P.; Kaler, J.

Abstract

Although the UK is the largest lamb meat producer in Europe, there are limited data available on sheep flock performance and on how sheep farmers manage their flocks. The aims of this study were to gather evidence on the types of disease control practices implemented in sheep flocks, and to explore husbandry factors associated with flock productivity. A questionnaire focusing on farm characteristics, general husbandry and flock health management was carried out in 648 farms located in the UK over summer 2016. Abattoir sales data (lamb sales over 12 months) was compared with the number of breeding ewes on farm to estimate flock productivity (number of lambs sold for meat per 100 ewes per farm per year). Results of a multivariable linear regression model, conducted on 615 farms with complete data, indicated that farms vaccinating ewes against abortion and clostridial agents and administering a group 4/5 anthelmintic to ewes (as recommended by the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep Initiative) during quarantining had a greater flock productivity than farms not implementing these actions (P

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 16, 2019
• Online Publication Date: May 16, 2019
• Publication Date: May 16, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 28, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 17, 2019
• Journal: animal
• Print ISSN: 1751-7311
• Electronic ISSN: 1751-732X
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 2630-2638
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1751731119001058
• Keywords: Animal Science and Zoology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2098055
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal/article/using-lamb-sales-data-to-investigate-associations-between-implementation-of-disease-preventive-practices-and-sheep-flock-performance/68E80B80232590F9D8BF119B0DB3C914
• Additional Information: License: © The Animal Consortium 2019