Uk sheep farmers are being offered a free check for the killer disease coccidiosis in their new lamb crops. The offer is part of a UK-wide survey by Janssen Animal Health, in conjunction with the National Sheep association, to get a more complete picture of the grip the disease has onthe industry.

Janssen is mailing dung sampling pots and collection instructions to 7,100 sheep farmers, and will pay for veterinary laboratory analysis of the samples. Says the company's Nick Burford: "Coccidiosis can have a significant economic impact for the sheep farmer if not identified and dealt with early. With this survey we are offering a service to help the farmer to identify if they have a problem, so that they can take action to prevent economic losses".

Coccidiosis, caused by lambs ingesting oocysts (eggs) of a single cell, microscopic organism, can cause losses of up £1,500 or so in a typical 300 ewe flock - by increasing lamb deaths and reducing weight gain and feed conversion efficiency.

"A great concern is that clinical signs of coccidiosis are normally only apparent when flocks are under severe challenge, by which time farmers are encountering economic losses. The 'fire-brigade approach of treating lambs after coccidiosis has hit a flock is more costly and stressful than having a strategic treatment programme in place," he says.

Free coccidiosis testing Scheme Cont......

The free dung sample analysis is for lambs aged from four to six weeks. This is the age when lambs should be dosed with an anti-coccidial such as Vecoxan as part of a farm's routine healthcare strategy, Nick Burford advises. "It will ensure lambs are treated before clinical signs of coccidiosis are evident."

Results from farmers taking up the offer will be returned to them, and to their local animal health distributor or Veterinary Surgeon if they wish.

For further details of this survey please contact your Murray Farmcare Representative