STAMPING out lameness will be a priority topic in a series of six hands-on sheep producer workshops organised by Quality Meat Scotland on farms in Scotland this month.

Delivered by independent sheep vet, Dr Fiona Lovatt, from Flock Health, the meetings will discuss the costs of lameness and the industry-accepted five-point sheep lameness reduction plan, as well as highlight the benefits of flock health planning.

"The five-point plan gives sheep producers a clear lameness management strategy for the future and a practical protocol for reducing the incidence of this costly problem," Dr Lovatt said.

"Implemented, the plan builds a flock's resilience to disease through culling persistently lame animals, reduces infection challenge on the farm and establishes immunity via vaccination.

"Many flocks around the country are seeing the benefits of implementing this plan and sheep lameness in Scotland would be dramatically reduced if more farmers adopted it," she added.

For example, a recent report published in the Veterinary Record highlights just what can be achieved. One flock of 1200 ewes managed to reduce lameness levels from an average annual prevalence of 7.4% to only 2.6% within a year of implementing the plan. Lameness levels were then maintained at less than 1% for the next three years.

"You really can make an impact. Lameness should not be accepted as part and parcel of sheep farming and the early autumn is a good time to get started. Any ewes that have had persistent or chronic lameness problems should be culled before tupping".

She will also stress that early treatment of lame sheep is crucial to the five-point plan. "The feet of affected sheep should be examined to identify the cause of lameness. If in doubt seek veterinary diagnostic advice and then treat the infectious conditions appropriately with antibiotics, even if it is only a mild case.

"If footrot is implicated, vaccination of the whole flock will help reduce the lesions caused by the bacteria dichelobacter nodosus. On-going vaccination, timed to coincide with high disease risk times on the farm, will also help prevent future problems and reduce antibiotic usage in future years."

She added that it's important to quarantine any incoming animals and avoid spreading disease when sheep are gathered and handled.

"Make sure you buy sheep carefully and do not accept lame animals or any with mis-shapen feet. Quarantine incomers for at least three weeks, vaccinating and foot bathing them on arrival. Turn every sheep to look for early footrot or CODD and treat any clinical cases as soon as possible," she told the first meeting held this week in Castle Douglas.