sheep abortion

ISCO

Member
Location
North East
We had campy last year in 200 ewes lambing in February. About 20 % aborted. Later lambing ewes not affected.
We also had it 30 years ago and had 30 % abort, the next year had no sign of infection.
This year we have lambed early ewes with 3 out of 200 aborting, and with a week to the next lot starting we have not had any abort (he says touching wood).
 

rancher

Member
Location
Ireland
We had campy last year in 200 ewes lambing in February. About 20 % aborted. Later lambing ewes not affected.
We also had it 30 years ago and had 30 % abort, the next year had no sign of infection.
This year we have lambed early ewes with 3 out of 200 aborting, and with a week to the next lot starting we have not had any abort (he says touching wood).
Yea, always found that we'd get a few free years after an outbreak so immunity must be possible
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
For years we've always had the odd one or two abort 10-14 days before the start. Last year we had a bit bigger 'wobble' before the start and once we got going everything was OK.
In previous years, sending samples off for analysis has never given any conclusive results.

This year we've had 4 abort in the early mob (150) and we had one, two days ago, out of the main mob (due end March).
I've had the 4 early ones blood tested.
Cu, Co, Se and I all OK (Iodine was low in pre-tupping test)
Enzo, Campo and Salmonella negative but they have all been exposed to Toxoplasmosis.

When we've finished lambing altogether we now need to reckon up the losses and compare it to the cost of vaccination. Vet says Toxovax is £4.40/dose, so it's not cheap (might consider just doing the replacements as all 4 were gimmers)

Do I need to factor in an increase in lambing percentage? - I seem to remember reading on here that somebody (@exmoor dave ??) said that when they started using Toxovax they got a better drop of lambs but I can't find it:facepalm:
 

exmoor dave

Member
Location
exmoor, uk
For years we've always had the odd one or two abort 10-14 days before the start. Last year we had a bit bigger 'wobble' before the start and once we got going everything was OK.
In previous years, sending samples off for analysis has never given any conclusive results.

This year we've had 4 abort in the early mob (150) and we had one, two days ago, out of the main mob (due end March).
I've had the 4 early ones blood tested.
Cu, Co, Se and I all OK (Iodine was low in pre-tupping test)
Enzo, Campo and Salmonella negative but they have all been exposed to Toxoplasmosis.

When we've finished lambing altogether we now need to reckon up the losses and compare it to the cost of vaccination. Vet says Toxovax is £4.40/dose, so it's not cheap (might consider just doing the replacements as all 4 were gimmers)

Do I need to factor in an increase in lambing percentage? - I seem to remember reading on here that somebody (@exmoor dave ??) said that when they started using Toxovax they got a better drop of lambs but I can't find it:facepalm:


Yes, we were up about the 180% mark then got stuck on 140-150% for a couple years, with a high empty rate but never really saw actual abortions til we bough some naive sheep in who did abort about 5wks pre-lambing.

Tested for toxo etc, confirmed toxo.
Jabbed whole flock except ewes with only one lambing left.

Lambing % jumped straight up to 185% (wet summer helped us as well on a dry farm).

Unfortunately dry summers still limit us to 150% (pre-vaccinating even wet summers couldn't break the 150% barrier)

Jabbing for toxo cleared up alot of grumbling problems that we though we're mineral related &reduced the empty rate quite abit
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
Yes, we were up about the 180% mark then got stuck on 140-150% for a couple years, with a high empty rate but never really saw actual abortions til we bough some naive sheep in who did abort about 5wks pre-lambing.

Tested for toxo etc, confirmed toxo.
Jabbed whole flock except ewes with only one lambing left.

Lambing % jumped straight up to 185% (wet summer helped us as well on a dry farm).

Unfortunately dry summers still limit us to 150% (pre-vaccinating even wet summers couldn't break the 150% barrier)

Jabbing for toxo cleared up alot of grumbling problems that we though we're mineral related &reduced the empty rate quite abit
Thanks(y)
 

Bones

Member
Location
n Ireland
I think no matter what you jag sheep with, they will still do it a bit, alway think the last 3 weeks before lambing starts is a terrible time, every morning something wrong, abortion, prolapse, stagger every problem under the sun. Sometimes l envy those hill men, old blackie ewes out on big hill, a few blocks, just check them once a day, and take what you get, If one aborted you wouldn't know. These big x ewes in fields and sheds are just a nightmare. And take a fortune in cake to Keep them up. Sometimes l wonder?????
Best reply I've seen in along time, well said (y)
 
Location
Cleveland
I think no matter what you jag sheep with, they will still do it a bit, alway think the last 3 weeks before lambing starts is a terrible time, every morning something wrong, abortion, prolapse, stagger every problem under the sun. Sometimes l envy those hill men, old blackie ewes out on big hill, a few blocks, just check them once a day, and take what you get, If one aborted you wouldn't know. These big x ewes in fields and sheds are just a nightmare. And take a fortune in cake to Keep them up. Sometimes l wonder?????
Yep and the more you spend on them the more you expect out of them....sometimes wonder if it’s better to spend nothing and just get what you’re given
 

Bluesman

Member
Antibiotic treatment is not very effective but with a Camplyobacter abortion storm causing up to 25% ewes to abort (I've even heard reports of 50-70%!!!) anything has to be worth trying.

Anyone experienced Campylobacter that can comment?

We are running at 15% aborted to campylobacter as of yesterday. We are 10 days off lambing. We injected the twin bearing ewes with long acting antibiotic but not the single bearing ewes; not really seen any difference. Will keep updating as time goes on, but basically worse year we have ever had with sheep. Oh joy!!!
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
]The last Campy storm I had was in 2010. 15% of the flock aborted, about 3 weeks out (so no milk to foster anything on). On vet advice, I went through and jabbed the lot with Alamycin LA at 1ml/10kg. Abortions stopped within 2 days.(y) However, i’m led to believe that a lot of Campy is resistant to oxytetracycline.

It is possible to import Campyvax from NZ/Australia under a vet licence (which only costs about a tenner). I’ve been using it to vaccinate ewe lambs and shearlings for the last 2 yearsand it’s certainly improved on losses after scanning in those groups.
Not a tenner a dose
?

The last lot I imported, two years ago, was 35p/dose (shipping would be on top if i’d Had to pay that). I’ve not had a bill for this year’s batch, but guessing it will be slightly higher due to exchange rate. Certainl6 not a tenner a dose, or I wouldn’t entertain it.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
We are running at 15% aborted to campylobacter as of yesterday. We are 10 days off lambing. We injected the twin bearing ewes with long acting antibiotic but not the single bearing ewes; not really seen any difference. Will keep updating as time goes on, but basically worse year we have ever had with sheep. Oh joy!!!

Bugger!:( I’ve been there and I don’t want to go through it again.

The (only?) good news is that the flock should have a good level of immunity to Campy now, apart from anything coming in from now on. Speak to your vet regarding Campyvax import, it was far easier/cheaper than i’d Assumed.:)
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
Yep and the more you spend on them the more you expect out of them....sometimes wonder if it’s better to spend nothing and just get what you’re given
^^^+1
The nature of the job nowadays makes it a numbers game - we're all keeping more and more on the same area. A sheep's worst enemy is another sheep:(

An old bloke once told me, "A farm or a piece of ground can only sustain a certain number of sheep. You can intensify as much as you like but without spending more and more on vet and meds they will just die back to that natural number."
 

ISCO

Member
Location
North East
For years we've always had the odd one or two abort 10-14 days before the start. Last year we had a bit bigger 'wobble' before the start and once we got going everything was OK.
In previous years, sending samples off for analysis has never given any conclusive results.

This year we've had 4 abort in the early mob (150) and we had one, two days ago, out of the main mob (due end March).
I've had the 4 early ones blood tested.
Cu, Co, Se and I all OK (Iodine was low in pre-tupping test)
Enzo, Campo and Salmonella negative but they have all been exposed to Toxoplasmosis.

When we've finished lambing altogether we now need to reckon up the losses and compare it to the cost of vaccination. Vet says Toxovax is £4.40/dose, so it's not cheap (might consider just doing the replacements as all 4 were gimmers)

Do I need to factor in an increase in lambing percentage? - I seem to remember reading on here that somebody (@exmoor dave ??) said that when they started using Toxovax they got a better drop of lambs but I can't find it:facepalm:
We had to do 4 years ago. First sign was bad scan in shearlings then low level toxo abortions in whole flock. Next year we vaccinated gimmer lambs and shearlings and had very little sign of toxo since. Just do gimmer lambs now.
 

jonny

Member
Location
leitrim
Had sporadic abortions and campy was diagnosed but it’s only on one side of the shed so gave engemycin to all on Saturday. Is it really true that they are immune from getting it again ? And if vaccine was available is it a success?
 

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