Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

Development and assessment of management practices in a flock-specific lameness control plan : a stepped-wedge trial on 44 English sheep flocks

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

Witt, Jessica D. and Green, Laura E. (2018) Development and assessment of management practices in a flock-specific lameness control plan : a stepped-wedge trial on 44 English sheep flocks. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 157 . pp. 125-133. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.06.013 ISSN 0167-5877.

[img]
Preview
PDF
WRAP-Development-assessment-management-practicwes-in-flock-specific-Green-2018.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 4.0.

Download (1557Kb) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.06.013

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Lameness in sheep has economic and welfare implications, including loss of ewe body condition, lower lambing percentages, and poor lamb growth rates. It costs the UK sheep industry around £80 million per year. The majority of lameness is caused by the infectious diseases footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis, with white line separation, white line abscesses, and toe granulomas also reported by farmers. Most sheep farmers in the UK have other enterprises and care for their flock part-time. A lameness control plan (LCP) consisting of 37 management practices that covered all aspects of control of lameness was developed for part-time sheep farmers. Testing of the LCP was done using a stepped-wedge trial design with 7 visits to 44 flocks in England over 18 months. Flocks had 100–500 breeding ewes. Locomotion scoring was carried out at every visit, and farmers were interviewed every 6 months to record management practices. Clinical significance of changes in prevalence of lameness within each flock was analysed using the reliable change index (RCI). Management practices associated with prevalence of lameness were assessed using a multi-level multivariable over-dispersed Poisson model. The geometric mean (GM) prevalence of lameness at the start of the trial was 7.3% (95% confidence interval(CI) = 6.3–8.3%). Flocks with a clinically significant lameness reduction had a GM prevalence of lameness of 4.6% (95% CI = 4.1–5.2%), while flocks with a clinically significant increase in lameness had a GM prevalence of 10.5% (95% CI = 9.4–11.6%). Always separating lame sheep at treatment (relative risk (RR) = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43-0.84) and culling sheep lame ≥2 occasions in a year (RR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.61-0.92) were associated with a significant reduction in lameness. Compared with not footbathing at all, footbathing sheep when there were outbreaks of interdigital dermatitis reduced lameness (RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.75-0.96), however, ‘routine’ footbathing was not associated with a reduction in lameness. Housing during the previous lambing period was associated with a higher prevalence of lameness (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04–1.46). Vaccination in flocks with period prevalence ≥10% did not significantly reduce their risk of lameness compared to lower prevalence flocks. In conclusion, separating lame sheep at treatment, culling sheep lame ≥2 occasions per year, and only using a footbath to treat outbreaks of interdigital dermatitis are flock managements that contribute to improved control of lameness in flocks with part-time farmers.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Life Sciences (2010- )
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Lameness in sheep -- Economic aspects -- England, Footrot in sheep -- England
Journal or Publication Title: Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Publisher: Elsevier
ISSN: 0167-5877
Official Date: 1 September 2018
Dates:
DateEvent
1 September 2018Published
20 June 2018Accepted
Volume: 157
Page Range: pp. 125-133
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.06.013
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit: 23 July 2018
Date of first compliant Open Access: 1 September 2019
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDBritish Veterinary Associationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100009962

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics

twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us