Control of Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (Maedi Visna) at farm level
Solution name: Control of Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (Maedi Visna) at farm level Aim: Our aim is to give clear instructions for the control of Maedi Visna in farms, which can be applied in practice and have been tested in the flocks of ELGO-DIMITRA.Description: Ovine...
Prevention strategies against Contagious agalactia
Solution name: Prevention strategies against Contagious agalactia Aim: Hereafter we propose the basic steps for preventing sheep against Contagious agalactia.Description: Infections of sheep with species of genus Mycoplasma may cause disease called Contagious...
Prevention strategies against Clostridial diseases
Solution name: Prevention strategies against Clostridial diseases Aim: Hereafter we propose the basic steps for preventing sheep against Clostridial diseasesDescription: The bacterial species of genus Clostridium are anaerobic microorganisms that might be present in...
Prevention of lamb diseases through proper new-born management
Solution name:Prevention of lamb diseases through proper new-born management Aim:To give the appropriate instructions for the care and management of lambs immediately after birth, in order to lay the foundations for the protection against specific diseases and the...
Detailed data keeping for health management to organise farms’ health plan / Use of smartphone or/and computer applications to get reminders
Solution name: Detailed data keeping for health management to organise farms’ health plan / Use of smartphone or/and computer applications to get reminders Aim: Improve health management of the flock. Prevent health problems and misuse of medicines.Description:...
Parasitism management in grazing animals
Solution name:Parasitism management in grazing animals Aim: Management measures to interrupt the cycle of infection of grazing animals through life forms of the parasites excreted by parasitized animals and hosted on the vegetation.Description: Parasitism by internal...
Iceberg Disease
Factsheet name: Investigation of thin ewes to determine if poor body condition is due to an iceberg disease Need / Issue: There is a need for information on iceberg diseases in relation to poor ewe body conditionIntroduction: The iceberg diseases that cause poor ewe...
CT Scanning as a Tool for Assessing Body Composition and Carcass Quality
Factsheet name: CT scanning as a tool for assessing body composition and carcass qualityIntroduction: CT scanning is a technology used to assess body composition and carcass traits in sheep. It works using X-rays to produce images of the body based on different...
Does Shearing Lambs Improve Performance?
Factsheet name: Does shearing lambs improve performance? Need / Issue: Lamb managementIntroduction: In Ireland approximately 20% of the annual sheep kill occurs between January and March. Some of these sheep (March born) are housed for a finishing period and offered...
Male lambs – leave entire or castrate
Factsheet name: Male lambs – leave entire or castrate Need / Issue: How best to manage male lambsIntroduction: Traditionally, male lambs are castrated at birth in mid-season grass-based systems of prime lamb production, reflecting practical issues related to...
Biosecurity for the Sheep Flock
Factsheet name: Biosecurity for the Sheep FlockFarm level biosecurity is a series of management practices designed to minimise, prevent or control: The introduction of infectious pathogens onto a farm EXCLUSION Spread within a farm production operation MANAGEMENT...
Managing triplet rearing ewes
Need/issue: Management strategies for multiple rearing ewesIntroduction: As mean flock productivity increases, the incidence of triplets increases. For flocks with mean litter sizes of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 the incidence of triplets is expected to be 8%, 15% and 25%...
Coccidiosis
Factsheet name: Coccidiosis Need / Issue: To assure lambing conditions indoors and to improve lamb survivalWhat is coccidiosis? Coccidiosis is caused by species-specific protozoal parasites that infect the gut wall, multiply and cause damage, often presenting...
Prevention and control of Bluetongue disease (BT)
Factsheet name: Control and prevention of Bluetongue disease (BT) Need / Issue: Reduce the impact of viral infectionIntroduction. Bluetongue (BT), is a non-contagious viral infectious disease of ruminants, transmitted by bloodsucking insects of genus Culicoides. The...
Managing ewe condition score through the year
Need/issue: The management of ewe condition will depend on the physiological stage (gestation, lactation and dry period) of the ewe and can affect disease susceptibility and/or disease diagnosis. Body condition score influences flock productivity.Introduction: Body...
Managing the transition of breeding replacements
Need / Issue: Whether buying in replacements or transferring them from another holding, the transition can affect their growth rates and subsequently their rearing success. Managing them to minimise stress and transition their diets can reduce or eliminate the growth...
Nutritional Requirements at Key Points in the Ewe’s Production Cycle
Factsheet name: Understanding nutritional requirements at key points in the ewe’s production cycle Need / Issue: Good nutritional management is required throughout the ewes production cycle in order to achieve target key performance indicators. Knowledge of the...
Feeding concentrate to lambs at pasture
Need / Issue: Balance requirements against pasture qualityIntroduction: High levels of lamb performance can be achieved from well managed grazed grass offered as the sole diet. However many producers supplement lambs with concentrate to increase lamb performance. The...
Aminoacid Nutrition
Factsheet name: Aminoacid nutrition Need / Issue: Protein concentration in the diet (concentrate + forage)Introduction: In sheep and goats, amino acid nutrition is essential for the maintenance of health and productivity. Management of amino acids in sheep nutrition...
How to achieve a successful dietary transition when turning out at springtime
Factsheet name: How to achieve a successful dietary transition when turning out at springtime Need / Issue: Digestive disorders and grassland managementWhy implement it: The animals will go from shed ration, often based on dry fodder, to very palatable spring grass...
Live weights at typical ages for ewe lambs
Solution name: Live weights at typical ages for ewe lambs Aim: to ensure ewe lamb fertility at first mating. To sort replacement ewe lambs from live weight references at standard age.Description: Selection of replacement ewe lambs takes place during these three...
Udder evaluation grid for meat sheep
Solution name: Udder evaluation grid for meat sheep Aim: To select ewes on their ability to feed their lambs properly (good quantity/quality milk and easy access for the lamb to the udder). To cull ewes with dysfunctional udders. To identify and predict which ewes are...
Rationing ewe lambs for better udder development
Solution name: Rationing ewe lambs for better udder development Aim: to adapt feed intake to the different growth stages of animal tissues, especially the udder, to encourage growth of secretory tissue and ensure the future productive capacity of ewes.Description:...
Mixed grazing for cattle & sheep to limit parasite infestation
Solution name: Mixed grazing for cattle & sheep as a solution to limit parasite infestation Aim: To limit parasit infestation Proper pasture management can reduce the risk of parasites and the number of parasite treatments required during a production cycle. As...