Clean Livestock policy

Ciaran Lynch, Sheep Specialist, tells us, the recent wet weather has had a negative impact on management on farms with a decline in grazing conditions seen around the country.

This poses a challenge for those finishing lambs outdoors as conditions around feeders or on crops are less than ideal and will result in soiled fleeces and dirtier lambs. Presenting lambs clean at the abattoir becomes more challenging as the year progresses, even for those finishing indoors the damp conditions can prove problematic.

Why does this pose an issue? Sheep with soiled fleeces pose a risk to food safety due to carcass contamination in the abattoir, this risk increases when these fleeces are wet. Sheep producers supply animals for slaughter for human consumption. Therefore, as food producers they have an important role to play in presenting clean sheep for slaughter.

The Clean Livestock Policy categorise sheep as follows:

A: Satisfactory; B: Acceptable; or C: Unacceptable.

Category A

Satisfactory Sheep with a clean dry fleece that can be slaughtered without an unacceptable risk of contaminating the meat during the slaughter process, by using the standard hygienic dressing procedures routinely employed by the plant.

Category B

Acceptable Sheep with moderate soiling of fleece that can only be slaughtered, without an unacceptable risk of contamination of the meat during the slaughter process, by putting in place additional interventions including extra defined dressing controls

Category C

Unacceptable Sheep with heavily contaminated fleece unfit for slaughter. These sheep must not be presented for ante-mortem in this condition and it is the responsibility of the Food Business Operator to take the required remedial action.

A number of proactive steps can be taken to keep lambs cleaner as the season progresses

Finishing management

Concentrate supplementation

Firstly build up levels of concentrates slowly and provide a roughage source at all times, this will reduce the risk of acidosis and dietary upset which can result in scouring and loss in performance. Ensure a suitable concentrate ration properly balanced for fibre, energy and protein is used.  Avoid feeding rations containing excess salt as this will increases water intake and in turn urine production, instead ensure the ration contains Ammonium Chloride at 0.5% of the finishing diet to protect against urinary calculi. Avoid sudden dietary changes during the finishing period as it may cause dietary upsets and scouring.

Finishing at grass

Move finishing lambs to clean pasture or allocate fresh grazing breaks when conditions become muddy. Move feeders or troughs regularly to avoid poaching. Raise drinking troughs, and provide hardcore area around drinkers to keep areas mud-free. Avoid routine free access to mineral supplements, instead treat animals for specific mineral and vitamin deficiencies.

Outdoors on roots / forage crops

Crutch / belly clip lambs before turning onto crops.  Allow sheep time to adjust to the new diet by restricting access for the first week and providing grass runback or free-access to hay. When supplementing with concentrates or hay, move feeding points regularly, to avoid poaching. Ensure sheep have access to a dry lying area. On freedraining soils, the crop itself may provide this. On heavy soils, or during wet weather, a grass runback or straw-bedded area should be provided.

Indoors

Do not overstock pens at housing and ensure sheep hosing is well ventilated.  Allow adequate space at feeding troughs.  For straw-bedded sheds use adequate straw and replenish regularly to keep lambs clean. For slatted sheds, ensure slats do not get blocked.

Clipping

Belly clipping and crutching can reduce the amount of fleece contamination especially for lambs being finished on root crops, it is an advantage for indoor finishing also. For housed lambs a full shear is an option that may be considered. Shearing should take place ideally 4 week pre drafting to allow sufficient wool regrowth to allow for subsequent remedial action (if needed) at the point of drafting or slaughter

Parasite control

Implement an effective parasite control programme to reduce scouring from internal parasites such as stomach worms and potentially liver fluke. Use faecal egg test to determine the need for treatment and find out how effective the products currently being used on farm are by conducting a drench test.

Pre-Sale Management and transport

Take remedial action on dirty lambs before transport and aim to draft lambs dry where possible, wet lambs could result in a lamb moving from a category B to C.  When drafting avoid unnecessary mixing of group’s particularly male and female lambs. Use partitions/ dividers to confine and segregate animals particularly where mixed batches are being sent. Poor transport conditions may result in animals becoming contaminated and failing to achieve required cleanliness specification. Vehicles should be roofed (where possible) and well ventilated. Ensure vehicle is clean, dry and disinfected before loading. Use absorbent materials on the floor where needed. Where decks are in use, ensure faeces / urine from higher decks does not soil sheep on lower decks.

The Teagasc Sheep Specialists, Researchers and Teagasc Advisors issue an article on a topic of interest to sheep farmers on Tuesdays here on Teagasc Daily.  Find more on Teagasc Sheep here  Teagasc provides a Local Advisory and Education service to farmers. Find your local Teagasc office here