A new initiative has been launched to help the UK sheep industry develop a proactive approach to maximising output by optimising flock performance.
Project L.A.M.B., by MSD Animal Health, aims to enhance the relationship between sheep farmers and their vet.
The project places the emphasis firmly on preventative healthcare to boost flock productivity and minimise the risk of loss.
Using the sheep calendar year to ensure seasonal and specific focus, Project L.A.M.B. assists vet practices with timely and targeted communications for up-to-date information, with farmer meetings, and with subsidised diagnostic services.
"The continued focus on reducing the use of antibiotics in farmed livestock means it’s vital that the whole British sheep industry embraces active flock health planning.
"It’s undoubtedly the route to better flock productivity in a challenging lamb market, better animal health and improved farm efficiency," says Sean Riches from MSD Animal Health.
"Good records are an essential part of benchmarking your flock’s performance and using them to measure and monitor farm targets should form the basis of all flock health plans.
"They allow good producers to measure where and why losses may have occurred.
Review flock performance
"Project L.A.M.B. enables vets to access a simple tool that helps review flock performance with their sheep farmer clients," he says.
Mr Riches adds that there are good examples of flocks that have improved productivity by investing in an on-going partnership with their vet.
"In these situations spending money on preventative healthcare is, more often than not, better than on medicines to treat a disease.
"It also potentially leads to reduced time for gathering and handling the sheep, resulting in less stress all around."
Project L.A.M.B. brings together MSD Animal Health’s sheep disease diagnostic services – EXPERTIS™ FlockCheck and Barren EweCheck for infectious abortion and barrenness causes – alongside its leading range of sheep vaccines.
The initiative will also provide a technical advice and support platform for vets and farmers upon which to develop a more proactive approach to optimising flock health and performance.
