Sheep scab: New campaign launched

The campaign wants to raise awareness of the rise of sheep scab, support the management of the condition, stop reinfection and empower farmers to adopt a prevention mindset by working together as a community.

Land-based training provider, Lowe Maintenance, has joined forces with several industry stakeholders including The Livestock Auctioneers Association Limited (LAA), Bimeda, and Biobest to launch the campaign called 'Break the Sheep Scab Cycle'.

Sheep scab not only impacts animal welfare - it has huge financial implications. It’s estimated that the cost of this disease to UK farmers is £80-£200million per year (Nixon et al., 2020).

Sheep scab had been almost eliminated 30 years ago when compulsory dipping was a legal requirement but has re-emerged to what are now endemic levels.

While the highly contagious disease in sheep doesn’t pose a risk to humans, it can rip through a flock before any symptoms are displayed.

Richard Scofield, sheep dipping expert, and assessor with more than 20 years of industry experience said: "Sadly, scab has returned with a vengeance, but this time we have all the tools to combat it. If we work smartly and collaboratively, we can break the cycle.

"Responsible treatment and testing are our weapons, but if used incorrectly we’re just battling and not winning the war on scab.

"Dipping, where necessary, should be done sequentially from September to the end of November in relation to how high up the flock grazes, taking place before tupping. And of course, coordinating with neighbouring farms is vital.

"Being open and honest is so important. No, matter the bio-security - knowing thy neighbour has never been more important. Bolstering this with testing and when there is a breakout, rapid and targeted treatment, and testing in infected farms in the vicinity until scab has gone."

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Campaign materials are all available to download, including posters, social media posts, and a handy ‘how much dip should I use’, tool, which can be found at breakthesheepscabcycle.co.uk along with dedicated podcast episodes on Lowe Maintenance’s Up Hill and Down Dale podcast linked to Breaking the Sheep Scab Cycle coming soon.

Lowe Maintenance provides online training courses and has launched the UK's first online City & Guilds-accredited course for the safe use and disposal of sheep dip.

Managing director, Demelza Lowe, said: "Raising awareness of the prevalence of sheep scab is vital. The more we talk about it, the less stigma there will be.

"The fact scab had all but been eradicated, gives me great hope that we can do it again. Our course has been designed to empower, educate, and work towards eradicating sheep scab through safe dipping operations.’

"We have identified a generation gap in qualified dippers, with many farmers who were certified to dip and oversee dipping in the 1980s and 1990s now retiring from farming, there is a real need to drive awareness of certification amongst the younger generation."

Campaign materials are all available to download, including posters, social media posts, and a handy ‘how much dip should I use’, tool, which can be found at breakthesheepscabcycle.co.uk along with dedicated podcast episodes on Lowe Maintenance’s Up Hill and Down Dale podcast linked to Breaking the Sheep Scab Cycle coming soon.