Farmers flock to Yorkshire sheep lameness workshop
MILTON KEYNES, UK, 10 May 2018 – Sheep farmers from across the north of England are now better able to stamp out flock foot problems after completing a practical workshop on reducing lameness issues.
Held at the Great Yorkshire Showground (3 May 2018) as part of the MSD Animal Health Project LAMB initiative, the event demonstrated methods for implementing a practical protocol for reducing the incidence of lameness in sheep flocks.
“The five-point plan offers sheep producers a clear lameness management strategy and a practical protocol for reducing the incidence of this costly problem. However, farmers are quite often unsure how to get started, but by offering this training we hope many more sheep producers will now feel more confident in their lameness management approach,” said independent sheep vet, Dr Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health Limited.
“Implemented correctly, the five-point plan builds a flock’s resilience to disease through culling persistently lame animals, reduces the infection challenge on the farm and establishes immunity through vaccination. Many flocks around the country are seeing the benefits of implementing this plan and sheep lameness nationally would be dramatically reduced if more farmers adopted it,” she said.
Sheep producers interested in implementing the five-point plan on their own farm should contact their local vet or animal health adviser and ask for help from a qualified lameness reduction adviser.
Sheep vet Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health Ltd discussing diagnosis of the various causes of lameness.
About MSD Animal Health
For more than a century, MSD, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business unit of MSD. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals®, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.