A recent assessment of the economic burden of major gastrointestinal parasites in cattle and sheep, estimated an annual cost for the 18 participating countries of €1.8 billion.

The recent wet and stormy weather combined with the current Avian Flu restrictions in place for all poultry (likely to last until at least April) mean we are seeing cases of Bumblefoot on the rise.

Lamb losses can have a huge impact on welfare, production and farmer morale. It can be multifactorial but also highly variable depending on the individual farm and production system.

Haemonchus contortus (the Barber’s Pole worm) affects both lambs and adult sheep, feeding on blood through the stomach wall.

Sheep lameness can cause severe problems in many flocks and understandably remains an area of concern for many shepherds and smallholders. The change in weather towards milder winters and wetter summers means the prevalence of lameness has increased. In the past few years there has been growing evidence that lameness should be managed by methods that contradict the traditional approaches which can lead to confusion so we hope that this article can help clarify the approaches to treatment and prevention.