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Flock Health Plan

Solution name: Flock Health Plan

Aim: To monitor the flock and to reduce the incidence of disease, farmer stress and cash leakage.

Description:

Topics include:

Biosafety
Cleaning, disinfection and rat extermination of sheds
Parasite control
Disposal of cadavers through the official cadaver collection services.
Disposal of medical waste in appropriate containers through authorized companies for the collection of medicines.
Control of new animals at entry into the farm:
Disease control and surveillance by incidence (see health solutions: BD, MV, PTBC; CA, mastitis)

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EUROSHEEP WP3 Solution_GR_Health_ContagiousAgalactiae

Topic: Health/Managment

Production: Dairy/Meat

Animal Category: All

Issue: Sheep shed management

Level of Solution: Practical

Country: Spain

How to implement

Biosafety:

Restricted access, with entry control for people, animals and vehicles not belonging to the farm.
Presence of sanitary ford at the farm gate

Cleaning, disinfection and rat extermination of sheds

Cleaning, removing bedding as often as possible, at least prior to the start of lambing and at the end of lambing.
Disinfection after manure removal, even weekly during the lambing seasons, which should include walls, ceiling and floor.
Disinsecting, to coincide with disinfecting; Placement of insect screens on doors and windows. Apply insecticides on animals and larvicides on manure.
Rat extermination
Passive blocking of entry to sheds and feed storage area.
Active, placement of rodenticides if rodents are detected in the feed storage area.

Parasite control

External: at shearing, individual treatments if required.
Internal: periodic coprological analysis (faecal egg count) by age groups (ewe lambs, 1-2 year old, and adults).
Treatment if required.

Disposal of cadavers through the official cadaver collection services.

Disposal of medical waste in appropriate containers through authorized companies for the collection of medicines.

Control of new animals at entry into the farm:

It is not recommended whenever possible

In case of incorporation, the following requirements must be met

Identification in accordance with the existing regulations;
Accompanied by the corresponding documentation;
Coming from a flock with a sanitary status higher or equal to that of the destination flock;
Transported under adequate sanitary and animal welfare conditions.

Disease control and surveillance by incidence (see health solutions: BD, MV, PTBC; CA, mastitis)

Expected benefits

Improved ewe welfare
Decrease in the use of antibiotics
Increased yields
Flock profitability

Cost Benefit analysis

The establishment of a sanitary plan in a flock generates an estimated cost of between 6 and 7 euros per ewe derived from the use of disinfectants, antiparasitic, and vaccines, mainly with the corresponding work of the veterinary services. Their use is estimated to generate a profit of between €13 and €36 per ewe, depending on whether the flock is for meat or milk, respectively. Benefits are directly related to higher production efficiency and reduced costs of lamb production because of increased feed efficiency and therefore improved feed conversion rates. These benefits in a flock of 300 ewes may be assessed in around 3849€ in meat flocks and 10860€ in dairy flocks.

Sustainability analysis

The implementation of this solution means higher use of medicines and vaccines, and therefore generates a significant environmental impact due to the production of waste, dirty water and plastic debris. However, its impact in terms of biodiversity and generation of high quality compost is very positive, as a consequence of the reduction in the use of medicines (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory treatments, etc.) that is expected with its application.
The prevention of the appearance of diseases in a flock is probably the factor that has the greatest economic and social impact both internally in the flock itself and in society in general, due to the impact it has on the image of the sector, as well as the implications on the health of the population in general. Any solution that prevents the use of drugs will be aligned with the “One health” strategy.