Tell me about MV and other nasties

[JP1]

I plan on collecting a special build trailer from Gamic soon

Based on a recommendation, I am considering starting a small commercial flock alongside my pedigree Roussins. The Roussins all came from MV accredited stock but the flock is too young and too small to put through a health scheme yet

If I buy some broken mouth Beulah ewes to run with one of my Roussin tup lambs this Autumn am I likely to create a health breakdown? I am planning on keeping the commercial ewes separate and selling on the tup lamb as a shearling

 

[Tim W]

Who knows is the answer---which is why i like to buy stock (if i have to) from animals with a known health status
Last tup i bought came from an MV acc. flock but i also tested him for BD/CLA/OJD before i brought him home (all came up negative)

Risk can be assessed by knowing;
1) where the ewes come from & if the breeders are high risk (do they buy and sell lots of stock/do they have shared/common grazing
2) If they come direct from farm or via a mart
3) Testing a few old/thin ewes from the flock for MV before you buy (£40 for 12 samples)

It's a gamble and all you can do is reduce the risk as much as possible

 

[JP1]

Who knows is the answer---which is why i like to buy stock (if i have to) from animals with a known health status
Last tup i bought came from an MV acc. flock but i also tested him for BD/CLA/OJD before i brought him home (all came up negative)

Risk can be assessed by knowing;
1) where the ewes come from & if the breeders are high risk (do they buy and sell lots of stock/do they have shared/common grazing
2) If they come direct from farm or via a mart
3) Testing a few old/thin ewes from the flock for MV before you buy (£40 for 12 samples)

It's a gamble and all you can do is reduce the risk as much as possible

Thanks. Or I just keep the pedigrees and after 5 years will still be over numbers and then start recording and culling hard instead

 

[MDL POWERUP]

Why not increase your flock of roussin and keep them under commercial conditions? They look a type of sheep you can do that with. Bigger gene pool to improve your flock and can then only keep the very best of the flock.

 

[JP1]

Why not increase your flock of roussin and keep them under commercial conditions? They look a type of sheep you can do that with. Bigger gene pool to improve your flock and can then only keep the very best of the flock.

Yes that's the other option

 

[unlacedgecko]

These nasties scare the hell out of me.

But I can't afford MV accredited stock, so will take my chance in the market and test in a year.

 

[bobajob]

OPA is worse, no blood test for it like mv. Be careful you don’t want to buy in some of these things like OPA , speaking from experience you can’t shut the stable door after the horse has bolted..

 

[Tim W]

These nasties scare the hell out of me.

But I can't afford MV accredited stock, so will take my chance in the market and test in a year.

We need to address some (MV in particular) at a national flock level before they get endemic
We have tried to encourage/entice our Exlana customers to screen their flocks by offering ram discounts but disappointingly very few have taken up the offer so far

 

[JP1]

OPA is worse, no blood test for it like mv. Be careful you don’t want to buy in some of these things like OPA , speaking from experience you can’t shut the stable door after the horse has bolted..

It was the young vet that did the 4-year TB test last year for an outsourced vet that flagged that up

 

[unlacedgecko]

OPA is worse, no blood test for it like mv. Be careful you don’t want to buy in some of these things like OPA , speaking from experience you can’t shut the stable door after the horse has bolted..

I saw a great home made scanning crate for that on twitter.

 

[unlacedgecko]

We need to address some (MV in particular) at a national flock level before they get endemic
We have tried to encourage/entice our Exlana customers to screen their flocks by offering ram discounts but disappointingly very few have taken up the offer so far

I look forward to cashing in my discount next year

 

[pgk]

Not sure move to 3 year sample testing for mv only flock on a holding is a good move. We struggle to buy mv accredited woolshedders hence now only bring in exlana rams which have mv status. Still they have so far always delivered the goods despite buying on figures and not looks. Just went through this years crop and we have some really tidy ram lambs to use this autumn. Biggest batch had fec of 1000 trichstrongyle yesterday so drenching this am. Only give away was they were not as fit as when weaned, no dirty bums amongst them.