Watch for new born lamb disease

As lambing time draws closer, sheep farmers have been urged to make sure they have a plan to manage and combat watery mouth, a common disease of new born lambs, in place.

The call came in response to the discontinuation of watery mouth treatment, Spectam Scour Halt, which means there will be limited supplies in 2022, with no further supplies likely to be produced.

The Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group (SAGG) and the Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) urged the move with SAGG chair, Fiona Lovatt, stating: “Although in the sheep sector, we have already reduced usage of oral antibiotics by 48 per cent between 2016 and 2021, there were still just under six million doses (of spectam) used in 2021 - and we believe these were predominantly prescribed for the treatment and control of watery mouth in neonatal lambs.”

Whilst stating that many flocks no longer viewed antibiotics as the first line of defence in the control of watery mouth in lambs, she said that the SVS had produced a guidance document which encouraged vets and farmers to look at potential alternative treatments – and highlighted the importance of ensuring that lambs received a plentiful supply of good-quality colostrum.

Rebecca Mearns, president of The Sheep Veterinary Society, added that while the shortage of Spectam had been highlighted at the end of last year, it was important to remind farmers to have a plan in place which focused on provision of colostrum and good hygiene at lambing in order to manage the risk of neonatal infections and improve lamb survival.