Commercial Dorset Connection

Prevent Health Issues Through Biosecurity and Good Management Practices

By Melanie Barkley, PSU Extension Educator

With the antibiotic label changes set to go into effect in June 2023, now would be a great time for producers to analyze areas in their operation where they can prevent health issues. A common practice that all producers should utilize involves developing a biosecurity plan to prevent disease organisms from being introduced to sheep on your farm.

Basic biosecurity measures generally involve three main aspects:

• Quarantine of new animals or animals that return to the farm

• Protocols for visitor or equipment traffic to the farm

• Standard operating procedures for sanitation on the farm

Any new animals arriving at a farm, or those returning to the farm from shows, should be housed in a quarantine area for a minimum of three to four weeks. This quarantine area could be a separate barn, or it may be an area in the main barn where these sheep do not have nose to nose contact with other farm animals. These quarantined animals should be fed last and should also be monitored for any disease issues, particularly for any foot related problems.

The second biosecurity measure establishes protocols to prevent spreading diseases to your farm. Producers should develop a protocol for any visitors or equipment that come to their farm. Visitors may be asked to sanitize their footwear by scrubbing with a disinfectant solution or walking across a special mat that contains a disinfectant solution. Equipment, such as feed trucks or trucks and trailers picking up sheep, can also be disinfected by driving across special disinfectant mats. It is particularly important to disinfect equipment if it enters areas where sheep have access. But the best option would be to not allow these vehicles to enter barnyards or pastures. Another aspect of traffic control involves farm family members that visited a location where they had contact with livestock. Family members should be sure to change shoes and clothing before they have any contact with your livestock or livestock facilities. Family members should also wash their hands prior to having any contact with your livestock.

The last biosecurity measure involves sanitation and husband- ry practices that keep sheep housing and handling facilities sanitary. Clean feeders and watering systems on a regular basis to prevent fecal contamination. Don’t forget to clean up any spilled feed, including hay, that could attract rodents. Producers who travel to shows should be sure to disinfect feeding and fitting equipment when they return home.

Good husbandry practices also include ensuring good quality air and ventilation in barns, feeding high quality feed free from molds and mycotoxins, and providing clean fresh water for animals to drink. Keeping pens well bedded will also promote good health.

American Sheep Industry has developed a guide to direct producers in developing a more advanced biosecurity plan for their farm. This Guide to the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan covers additional aspects such as how a farm will continue business if a foreign animal disease outbreak restricts animal movements in your area. In order to restart animal movements, producers will need to meet certain requirements to obtain a special permit from regulatory officials. More information about this plan can be found at securesheepwool.org or by contacting a sheep Extension specialist or agent in your state.

In addition to biosecurity, producers can follow good nutrition practices to prevent health issues. Research has shown that good nutrition boosts immune system function. Good immune system function helps protect animals from disease and helps sheep have better resilience to internal parasite infections. When considering nutrition, producers often overlook the importance of access to fresh clean water. Poor quality water will limit feed intake, which impacts nutrition. In addition to feed and water, sheep should have access to a high-quality salt and mineral mix formulated for sheep. These minerals and vitamins can greatly impact the health status plus animal performance. For pregnant females, good mineral nutrition will help to prevent health issues such as milk fever, retained placentas, and pregnancy toxemia. Good ewe nutrition can also carry over to newborn lambs by promoting lamb health and vigor at birth as well and promoting production of good quality and quantity of colostrum. When it comes to vaccinations, good nutrition can result in a better immune response to vaccines.

When considering any aspects associated with health, be sure to work with your local veterinarian to develop health management protocols for your farm. This veterinary client patient relationship, also known as a VCPR, will not only help prevent health issues on your farm. It will be particularly important if animals require antibiotic treatments.

JUNIOR POLLED DORSET SHOW (FITTED)

Champion Fitted Ram: Madelyn Syme (Winter)

Reserve Champion Fitted Ram: Ty Hodel (Fall)

Fitted Fall Ram Lamb: 1) Ty Hodel (Res Champion Ram); 2) Taylor Dietz; 3) Katherine Rapp

Fitted Winter Ram Lamb: 1) Madelyn Syme (Champion Ram); 2) Taylor, Morgan & Delaney Crouch

Fitted Spring Ram Lamb: 1) Taylor Crouch; 2) Ty Hodel; 3) Michael Myerscough; 4) Owen Torrance

Champion Fitted Ewe: Madelyn Syme (Fall Yearling)

Reserve Champion Fitted Ewe: Thomas Vandeventer (Late Fall)

Fitted Fall Yearling Ewe: 1) Thomas Vandeventer; 2) Beckett Spilde; 3) Double Vision Dorsets

Fitted Spring Yearling Ewe: 1) Madelyn Syme (Grand Champion Ewe - Sr Champion); 2) Thomas Vandeventer; 3) Michael Myerscough; 4) Taylor Dietz; 5) Katherine Rapp

Fitted Early Fall Ewe Lamb: 1) Morgan Crouch (Res Sr Champion); 2) Ty Hodel; 3) Morgan Crouch; 4) Michael Myerscough; 5) Owen Torrance; 6) Double Vision Dorsets; 7) Taylor Dietz; 8) Vondenhuevel Kids

Fitted Late Fall Ewe Lamb: 1) Thomas Vandeventer (Res Grand Champion - Jr Champion); 2) Beckett Spilde (Res Jr Champion); 3) Taylor Crouch; 4) Owen Torrance; 5) Thomas Vandeventer; 6) Olivia Waggoner; 7) Taylor Dietz; 8) Katherine Rapp; 9) Vondenhuevel Kids

Fitted Winter Ewe Lamb: 1) Thomas Vandeventer; 2) Double Vision Dorsets; 3) Michael Myerscough

Fitted Spring Ewe Lamb: 1) Madelyn Syme; 2) Michael Myerscough; 3) Jemma Dorsey; 4) Delaney Crouch; 5) Katherine Rapp

JUNIOR POLLED DORSET SHOW (SLICK SHORN)

Champion Slick Shorn Ram: Ella Jahner (Spring) Reserve Champion Slick Shorn Ram: Cameron and Caiden Lake (Winter)

Slick Shorn Fall Ram Lamb: 1) Olivia Waggoner; 2) Zoey Jacob; 3) Megan Brandt; 4) Garrett Brandt; 5) Troy Buyer

Slick Shorn Winter Ram Lamb: 1) Cameron and Caiden Lake (Res Champion Ram); 2) Olivia Waggoner; 3) Emily Stevens; 4) Owen Grinstead; 5) Autumn, Emily & Oliver Long; 6) Amanda Rapp

Slick Shorn Spring Ram Lamb: 1) Ella Jahner (Champion Ram); 2) Hainsley Hatfield; 3) Blake & Brett Martin; 4) Breelyn Slack; 5) Derek Coleman; 6) Hainsley Hatfield; 7) Linsey Eddy; 8) Callie Carty; 9) Blake & Brett Martin; 10) Caleb Mahan; 11) Troy Buyer

Champion Slick Shorn Ewe: Breelyn Slack (Early Yearling Ewe)

Reserve Champion Slick Shorn Ewe: Wyatt/Nash & Brooklyn Nixon/Johnson (Spring)

Slick Shorn Early Yearling Ewe: 1) Breelyn Slack (Champion Ewe); 2) Linsey Eddy; 3) Cal Sidwell; 4) Mary Jones; 5) Cameron And Caiden Lake; 6) Olivia Waggoner; 7) Olivia Waggoner; 8) Abby Isler

Slick Shorn Late Yearling Ewe: 1) Breelyn & Kasen Slack; 2) Linsey Eddy; 3) Tyler Wright; 4) Kiersten Rexing; 5) Nicole Laster; 6) Cooper Crowder; 7) Allie Boyd; 8) Tate Stevens

Slick Shorn Fall Ewe Lamb: 1) Owen Grinstead; 2) Cayden Johnson; 3) Emery Yoho; 4) Hainsley Hatfield; 5) Olivia Waggoner; 6) Linsey Eddy; 7) Jasper, Ireland, Finn Shuck; 8) Olivia Waggoner; 9) Garrett Brandt; 10) Myka Heeg; 11) Cayden Murphy; 12) Ben Isler; 13) Michael Van Leuven Jr; 14) Troy Buyer