Mystery surrounds calf and lamb losses
Mystery surrounds pregnancy scanning results, which show potentially devastating numbers of calf and lamb losses on UK farms.
Livestock producers face early lambing losses as high as two-thirds on some farms, suggest initial results. Many scanners are reporting barren ewes, failed pregnancies or dead foetuses. Cattle losses are almost as bad in some places.
There is a “strong suspicion” that the Schmallenberg virus could be to blame, say some vets. But other causes, such as poor nutrition following a year of extreme wet weather, have been cited by other vets and animal health experts.
John Barnes, a scanner in the north east of England, told Farmers Weekly he had recorded problems in about two-thirds of 10,000 ewes across 80 flocks. One farm later tested positive with the Schmallenberg virus, which can cause death and deformity in unborn livestock.
Cattle scans revealed up to 50% of 4,000 cows scanned were showing either empty or with dead calves.
Other operators have begun to report similar problems as scanning gets into full swing ahead of next spring’s lambing season.
In the West Midlands, scanner Phil Preece reported anomalies in about a third of 8,000 early lambing ewes examined so far this year. Mr Preece said it was a “real one-off” and he had not experienced results like it in 14 years of scanning.
Both men said they had spoken to other scanners who reported similar issues.
It is not known if these cases are linked to the Schmallenberg virus, but flocks at highest risk from the virus would have been those tupped in late summer or early autumn when midge activity was at its highest.
Two flocks in the south of England with embryonic losses have been reported to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) with results revealing ewes had been exposed to the Schmallenberg virus.
David Harwood, veterinary investigative officer for the AHVLA, Hampshire, said there was a “strong suspicion” the virus and losses were linked, but said there was no scientific evidence to back it up.
Independent sheep vet Paul Roger was more cautious about the virus link. Poor nutrition or other infections could be the cause, he suggested.
“The problem is just because it is happening this year people may say it is Schmallenberg, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are other infections that can cause losses, such as toxoplasmosis, border disease and bluetongue.”
He advised farmers to get individual diagnostics done to pinpoint the exact causes of the problem. “It is really important for the individual business and the country so we know where the disease is.”
Mr Roger said it was too early to predict the effect losses may have on lambing crops next year, but a promised Schmallenberg vaccine meant there was “hope on the horizon”.
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