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

Changes in prevalence of, and risk factors for, lameness in random samples of English sheep flocks : 2004–2013

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

Winter, Joanne R., Kaler, Jasmeet, Ferguson, Eamonn, KilBride, Amy L. and Green, Laura E. (2015) Changes in prevalence of, and risk factors for, lameness in random samples of English sheep flocks : 2004–2013. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 122 (1-2). pp. 121-128. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.09.014 ISSN 0167-5877.

[img]
Preview
PDF
WRAP_prevalence and risk July 2015 final full paper.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer.

Download (1335Kb) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.09.014

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to update the prevalence of lameness in sheep in England and identify novel risk factors. A total of 1260 sheep farmers responded to a postal survey. The survey captured detailed information on the period prevalence of lameness from May 2012–April 2013 and the prevalence and farmer naming of lesions attributable to interdigital dermatitis (ID), severe footrot (SFR), contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) and shelly hoof (SH), management and treatment of lameness, and farm and flock details.

The global mean period prevalence of lameness fell between 2004 and 2013 from 10.6% to 4.9% and the geometric mean period prevalence of lameness fell from 5.4% (95% CL: 4.7%–6.0%) to 3.5% (95% CI: 3.3%–3.7%). In 2013, more farmers were using vaccination and antibiotic treatment for ID and SFR and fewer farmers were using foot trimming as a routine or therapeutic treatment than in 2004.

Two over-dispersed Poisson regression models were developed with the outcome the period prevalence of lameness, one investigated associations with farmer estimates of prevalence of the four foot lesions and one investigated associations with management practices to control and treat lameness and footrot. A prevalence of ID > 10%, SFR > 2.5% and CODD > 2.5% were associated with a higher prevalence of lameness compared with those lesions being absent, however, the prevalence of SH was not associated with a change in risk of lameness.

A key novel management risk associated with higher prevalence of lameness was the rate of feet bleeding/100 ewes trimmed/year. In addition, vaccination of ewes once per year and selecting breeding replacements from never-lame ewes were associated with a decreased risk of lameness. Other factors associated with a lower risk of lameness for the first time in a random sample of farmers and a full risk model were: recognising lameness in sheep at locomotion score 1 compared with higher scores, treatment of the first lame sheep in a group compared with waiting until >5 were lame, treatment of lame sheep within 3 days, ease of catching lame sheep and quarantine for > 21 days. A previously known factor associated with a lower risk of lameness was footbathing to prevent ID. We conclude that the prevalence of lameness in sheep in England has fallen and that this might be in part because of increased uptake of managements recently reported as beneficial to control lameness. Routine foot trimming should be avoided.

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, Sheep -- Health -- Great Britain, Footrot in sheep, Sheep -- Diseases, Multivariate analysis, Veterinary medicine
Journal or Publication Title: Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Publisher: Elsevier
ISSN: 0167-5877
Official Date: 1 November 2015
Dates:
DateEvent
1 November 2015Published
26 September 2015Available
22 September 2015Accepted
30 June 2015Submitted
Volume: 122
Number: 1-2
Page Range: pp. 121-128
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.09.014
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit: 15 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access: 26 September 2016

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