Sound, preventative health practices to mitigate key disease risks in new season lambs, are always encouraged and it makes more sense this year than ever when prime values continue to hold firm.

According to MSD Animal Health veterinary adviser, Dr Kat Baxter-Smith, it makes financial sense to maximise production output within the limitations of individual rearing systems when end values for 2021-born lambs are holding firm into 2022.

Furthermore, she says there is much that can be done now to protect Scottish flocks from potential infections that drive up neonatal lamb losses and probably the most important step at this time of year is to plan to make sure ewe colostrum is as good as it can be.

“Essential antibodies cannot get into the unborn lamb through the placenta, so must be transferred via colostrum. Consequently, the aim must be to make sure every newborn lamb receives enough good quality colostrum as soon as possible after birth.

Dr Baxter-Smith says the starting point is to make sure pregnant ewes are fit and well fed, and fully vaccinated.

“Ewe nutrition is key, but so is good vaccination practice and this means making sure all in-lamb ewes receive their clostridial disease and pasteurellosis booster vaccination four to six weeks before lambing. This will increase the levels of antibodies in her colostrum against devastating early life disease threats for lambs such as lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney and pasteurellosis.

"If her lambs then receive sufficient quantities of this fortified colostrum during the first 24-48 hours of life, they will gain some protection against these key disease threats. However, this only lasts in the lambs for a limited period of time but should help protect them up to the stage that they can be vaccinated themselves.”

Dr Baxter-Smith explains that a 5kg lamb at birth needs a litre of colostrum in its first 24 hours of life to give it essential levels of natural immunity. “But, importantly, the first feed should be within two hours of birth,” she stressed.

In addition, she added that it is well worth taking advice from vets, SQP and/or nutritionist in the crucial run up to lambing.

“Your vet can help you assess ewe body condition, advise on correct vaccination practice and also judge the genuine risk of neonatal disease in lambs based on your flock’s history. ‘Plan, Prevent and Protect’ is the key disease management message.

“For example, ewes should be in the best condition possible for the last six weeks of pregnancy when 70% of foetal growth takes place. Get it wrong and you may have to cope with poor lamb survival rates, low birth weights and inferior quality ewe colostrum.

"Group and feed ewes according to scanning results and their condition score. It is very important to get the diet correctly balanced for energy and protein, as well as minerals, so ask your vet or nutritionist for advice here. You can also ask your vet to take blood samples from ewes four to six weeks pre-lambing, just to make sure their diet is delivering the required energy and protein status.”

She added that implementing sound hygiene practices will also help. Lambing sheds have to be clean, dry and draught free. There should be plenty of fresh bedding, all equipment should be disinfected and if weather conditions allow, ewes and lambs should be turned out to grass as soon as possible after lambing.