Health Care

Score2.7 (9 Votes)

Target Sheep - Pre-lambing

Optimising the health and productivity of your livestock

The challenges of lambing

Pregnant ewes need careful management to ensure that they lamb down in the right condition for optimum lamb weight and survival – and that ewes have sufficient condition to recover quickly before the next joining. Ideally, ewes should be scanned 45 days after joining and separated into groups of single, twin and triplet-bearing ewes. It is important to determine mob size according to fecundity to reduce the opportunity for mis-mothering. Give preference to high fecundity mobs when assessing paddocks for pasture quality and shelter.

The nutrient demands of foetal development depletes the ewe’s reserves of essential minerals required by the immune system to defend against disease and parasites. The combined effects of a suppressed immune system and the physiological stresses of pregnancy means ewes are particularly susceptible to worm burdens and clostridial diseases. Higher worm egg output increases pasture contamination and the risk posed to highly vulnerable lambs.

Animal health considerations

A comprehensive animal health program administered four weeks before lambing can help to safeguard the health of ewes by:

  • Protecting ewes against worms and minimizing contamination of lambing pastures.
  • ‘Topping up’ levels of essential trace minerals to boost the immune system.
  • Ensuring ewes have adequate levels of antibodies for their own protection and to pass adequate levels to their lambs via colostrum.

Vote for this content: 5 4 3 2 1

  • PREMIUM PROTECTION AGAINST PARASITES

    Virbac has a range of premium drenches that should be included in every drench (worm management) program.

    • TRIDECTIN® delivers the trusted power and persistency of moxidectin in a unique three-way formulation:

    - Fast, powerful and lasting broad spectrum control of worms.
    - Controls worms with single, double or triple resistance to white, clear, ‘mectin’ or monepantel drenches.2
    - Patented micellar formulation technology for improved absorption and stability.3-6
    - Shortest ESI of any three-way drench (17 days).2
    - Helps to protect the efficacy of all active ingredients.

    • CYDECTIN® LONG ACTING INJECTION FOR SHEEP delivers the trusted power of moxidectin in a low volume injection.2 It is particularly suitable for young animals with developing immune systems, such as replacement ewes and wethers, or when attempting to reduce pasture contamination.

    • CYDECTIN EWEGUARD® combines the trusted power of moxidectin with a 6 in 1 vaccine to optimise the health and productivity of pre-lambing ewes and their lambs.

    TridectinCydectin LA SheepCydectin Eweguard

  • BOOSTING IMMUNE FUNCTION IN EWES

    MULTIMIN® is a unique trace mineral injection that makes weaners ‘performance ready’ by improving immunity and fertility7-16:

    • Rapidly-absorbed ‘top up’ of essential trace minerals.16
    • Studies have shown MULTIMIN optimises all three parts of the immune system.7-16
    • Prolonged antioxidant activity.9
    • Contains no cyanide, an ingredient which may reduce antioxidant synthesis.17
    • Scientifically-proven to improve health and performance.
    • Administered to ewes 4 weeks before lambing, Multimin can help optimise immune function in both ewes and lambs, to improve marking percentage and lamb weights.18



    *Multimin for sheep is available in two formulations, with and without copper, to suit most enterprise requirements.**Do not administer Multimin in combination with other animal health products containing selenium. Do not administer Multimin at the same injection site as other injectable animal health treatments. ^Virbac trial protocol 601-18.
     

  • AUSTRALIAN MADE PROTECTION AGAINST CLOSTRIDIALS & CHEESY GLAND

    WEBSTERS VACCINE: Routine vaccination is essential to protect sheep from cheesy gland and clostridial diseases, such as pulpy kidney, black disease, malignant oedema, tetanus and blackleg.

    • Administer WEBSTERS® vaccines before lambing to boost immunity levels in ewes and to help ensure adequate levels of antibodies are passed to their lambs via colostrum.2
    • Websters vaccines are proudly made by Virbac in Australia.

Related products

References:

1. Making more from sheep. Module 10: Wean more lambs. Meat & Livestock Australia, 2008. 2. Refer to registered label. 3. Porter, C.J. et al. (2007). Lipids and lipid-based formulations: optimising the oral delivery of lipophilic drugs. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 6(3):231. 4. Torchilin, V.P. (2001). Structure and design of polymeric surfactant-based drug delivery systems. Journal of Controlled Release, 73(2), pp.137-172. 5. Rangel-Yagui, C.O., et al. (2005). Micellar solubilisation of drugs. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci., 8(2):147-163. 6. Virbac data on file. 7. Mundell, L. et al. (2012). Effects of prepartum and postpartum bolus injections of trace minerals on performance of beef cows and calves grazing native range, Professional Animal Scientist, 28:82-88.# 8. Teixeira, A. et al. (2014). Effect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc, and manganese on immunity, health, and growth of dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci., 97:4216-4226.# 9. Machado, V. et al. (2013). Effect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc, and manganese on the health and production of lactating Holstein cows. Vet. J. 197:451-6.# 10. Berry et al. (2000). Oklahoma State University Animal Science Report, 980:61- 64.# 11. Richeson, J. et al. (2006). Supplemental trace minerals from injection for shipping-stressed cattle. AAES Research Series, 574: 85-88.# 12. Arthington, J. et al. (2014). Effects of trace minerals on measures of performance and trace mineral status of pre- and post-weaned beef calves. J. Anim. Sci., 92:2630-2640. 13. Roberts et al. (2015), J. Anim. Sci., 93:S3.# 14. Palomares, R. et al. (2016). Effects of injectable trace minerals on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus, Bovine Herpes Virus 1 and Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus following administration of a modified-live virus vaccine in dairy calves. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol., 178:88-98.# 15. Ball, M. (2016). Trace mineral injection enhances antibody response to botulism vaccination. AVA Proceedings, Adelaide. 16. Hansen (2007), Iowa State University, Department of Animal Science. 17. New reference needed: Pezacka, E., Green, R., & Jacobsen, D. W. (1990). Glutathionylcobalamin as an intermediate in the formation of cobalamin coenzymes. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 169(2), 443-450. 18. Virbac trial protocol 601-18. 19. Geldard, H. et al. (1984). Immunisation of ewes with polyandroalbumin to improve fecundity. Aust. Vet. J. 61(4):130. #The Multimin formulation in this study contained different levels of minerals compared to the registered formulation in Australia. Benefits outlined in these scientific studies are not all registered label claims. ®Cydectin, Eweguard, Multimin, Tridectin and Websters are registered trademarks of Virbac. VIR18480 MKTGLST082