Farming: Battle against scab continues

The fight against sheep scab, a contagious disease spread by mites that cause significant irritation and discomfort to infected animals, is making progress, with 76 cases being reported in Scotland this year, bringing the number of cases reported in Scotland to 220 since the Sheep Scab Order was introduced in December 2010.

Although almost eradicated from the nation’s flock in the 1970s, sheep scab is once again endemic in parts of Scotland, representing a huge animal welfare concern as well as a big cost burden for producers.

NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller said the Scab Order provided a worthwhile tool for disease reporting and control and was helping to change the culture on sheep farms.

“A year and a half into the new scheme has allowed a picture of incidence to be built up and the map of disease prevalence is becoming clearer,” he said.

“From the map, we can see that there are widespread problems and significant issues seem to be focussed in regions where lambs are traditionally fed and finished.”