Schmallenberg Virus......

[Alec Swan]

There will be those who start their early lambing in a week or so's time. I'd be interested to hear from those who start lambing soon, just how they get on.

The NSA have recently released the statement below. I've sold all my breeding ewes (all bar 9 that is!!) so it wont affect me too greatly. I feel for those who struggle.

"Following hot on the heels of rumours of Schmallenberg (SBV) causing low scanning rates, the talk is now of high losses in early lambing flocks. The consequences for the farmers affected are terrible, but it is absolutely essential that any suspected cases are tested with the aim of identifying whether SBV is definitely the culprit. Just as fluke and poor nutrition can also cause low scanning rates, there other issues that can cause losses at lambing time."


Ets, and just to explain, for those who have no particular interest in ruminants, it's thought that those ewes (and probably cows too), who were previously bitten by carrying midges, will now be either failing to hold to covering, or will be giving birth to lambs which struggle to survive.

As with most ovine aborting agents though, an infected dam once past her first loss, is forever immune to that specific cause. With luck this may also apply to Sbv.

Yet another further thought, and specifically the last sentence from the NSA, "Just as fluke and poor nutrition......." that doesn't actually make much sense, because those who set out to lamb early will almost invariably be first class stock men, on top of their specific game, and fluke and nutrition levels would have been dealt with.

Alec.

 

[jrp204]

Not looking forward to lambing this year. We AI'd beginning of September so will start lambing end of Jan. We had a pair of twins delivered by C sec. last ear which had typical schmallenbergs, one was dead the other was pts. So frustrating, pedigree lambs too. It is not just the loss of lambs that will have to be shouldered but the c.sect. at £150.
So potential loss is 2 pedigree lambs @ £500 a piece.
C. Sec. @ £150
So roughly £1200 if you manage to get the ewe in lamb again.
Our ewes are carefully managed to get them into lamb, bolused for trace elements, Lifeline buckets, Heptavac'd, wormed, fluked. So its just wait and see.

 

[martlin]

I have my first lambs this year due any time now... I'm not sure I want to think about it too much, to be honest. We have lost several this summer to clostridial diseases, resistant worms and all sorts of other rubbish news.
At least the SFP was on time, though. Small blessings and all that. Sigh.

 

[hobo]

Our cows were infected this August making them ill and lose milk and a couple of abortions. The vet thinks any that were 2-5 mnts incalf could have possible deformed calves only time will tell. We had a calf born the other day with contracted fetlocks and a slighty domed head and fluid tummy it died after a few breaths. It may just be one of those things but it is very worrying. Our kennelman said a farmer had brought in 20 lambs that he had to break their limbs to get them out quite horrible. It has hit a lot of Dorset dairy farmers.
Defra were at the kennels when the farmer brought his lambs in and they were not interested!

 

[jrp204]

I think there were a lot more cases than were reported. Our attitude is if and when a vaccine becomes available, people with reported cases will get priority, whether this is right who knows.
Animal Health need to be taking this more seriously, the financial implications of this could be massive and with no compensation the true extent of the infection will not be known.