Farmers could identify these threats sooner by regularly examining five key areas of every animal, said Jandré van Wijk, sales representative of Zoetis, at a small-stock information day at the recent Swartland Show in Moorreesburg.
Known as the Five Point Check, the system involves examining the eyes, nose, jaw, body condition and tail of sheep for signs of parasites, disease and nutritional problems.
One of the first warning signs can be found at the nose: nasal discharge could point to problems ranging from nasal botfly and lungworm to pneumonia.
However, Van Wijk cautioned farmers to interpret the symptom in context, taking factors such as the season, environmental conditions and other signs of illness into account.
The eyes reveal anaemia
The animals’ eyes must be checked for anaemia.
To check the eyes, pull the lower eyelids down and note the colour of the mucous membrane, said Van Wijk. Compare this with the FAMACHA chart. (See FAMACHA Handouts Insta Vet House for more information.) Animals are scored from one to five on the chart, with one indicating healthy red membranes and five severe paleness. Scores from three to five indicate increasing levels of anaemia.
Van Wijk said anaemia could be caused by blood-feeding parasites such as wireworm, which is responsible for the deaths of thousands of sheep in South Africa. Liver fluke may also cause anaemia.
A single female wireworm can produce between 5 000 and 10 000 eggs a day, allowing parasite burdens to increase rapidly under favourable conditions.
“This is definitely a parasite that should be treated preventively and early,” he said.
Farmers should remember, however, that FAMACHA identifies anaemia rather than its underlying cause. The result should therefore be considered alongside other checks and, where necessary, veterinary diagnosis.
Watch for bottle jaw
The jaw should be examined for swelling of the soft tissue beneath it, commonly known as bottle jaw.
According to Van Wijk, this may point to low blood-protein levels associated with severe wireworm or liver-fluke infestation. Nutritional protein deficiencies may also contribute to the condition.
Other diseases, including bluetongue, can cause swelling around the head and jaw, reinforcing the need for a proper diagnosis.
The sheep’s back should then be felt by hand to determine its body-condition score on a scale of one to five.
With an animal scoring one, the backbone and short ribs feel sharp and can easily be distinguished, indicating that the sheep is severely underconditioned. At a score of five, the ribs are difficult to feel because the animal is carrying excessive fat.
Van Wijk said a score of between three and four was generally desirable, although the ideal score would depend on the animal’s age and production stage.
Poor condition could be caused by inadequate nutrition, disease or parasites. Tapeworm infestation, for example, may contribute to poor growth and a pot-bellied appearance in lambs.
A dirty tail demands attention
The final check is the tail and hindquarters, which should be clean.
Diarrhoea may result from feeding problems, sudden dietary changes or grain overload, which can cause rumen acidosis. Parasites are another important cause. Van Wijk singled out brown stomach worm as a particular winter threat in the Swartland.
Worms and other internal parasites may also cause diarrhoea and loss of condition.
He warned against dosing animals without first establishing what was causing the problem.
“Faecal samples should be analysed to establish whether internal parasites are involved and, where possible, which ones, so treatment can be targeted. This is far cheaper than treating the wrong problem,” he said.
If a correctly selected and administered product failed to reduce the parasite burden, anthelmintic resistance should be considered. In this case, farmers should work with their veterinarians to confirm resistance and identify effective alternative treatments.
“Farmers should discuss disease and parasite problems with their veterinarians and develop a strategy to manage and prevent future problems,” Van Wijk said.
He also cautioned producers against relying on advice shared in online and social-media groups, as incorrect recommendations could aggravate an animal-health problem.
