Mastitis in meat sheep

Abstract

Mastitis in meat sheep occurs in all flocks, but incidence can vary. It can be a severe disease, resulting in ewe deaths, but chronic and subclinical cases also occur. It is a costly disease, but accurate assesments of the impact, especially of chronic and subclinical disease, are lacking. The most commonly involved pathogens are Mannheimia haemolytica and Staphylococcus aureus. The most important risk factors relate to compromise of teat defences, and increased transmission, but environmental cases do occur. Treatment of acute clinical cases requires systemic antibiosis and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration, and, where required, supportive care. Prevention involves tackling the risk factors, and using vaccination and breeding to reduce ewe susceptibility.

Managing weaning issues in lambs and ewes. Part 2: management of ewes following weaning

“…Intramammary masses in the udder or a thickened teat canal running into the teat can be palpated in affected animals after drying off. The prevalence of subclinical and chronic mastitis is difficult to ascertain as cases are generally under‐reported by farmers (Page and others 2021). Mild cases of mastitis or subclinical mastitis during lactation are unlikely to be detected by the farmer until after drafting (Fig 5).…”