Sheep production Lameness 1 million head of sheep in Canada * - PDF document

Collaborators: Doerte Doepfer (DVM; PhD) - University of Wisconsin Kelly Anklam (MS) - University of Wisconsin Sonia Marti (PhD) - Institut de Recerca i Tecnologies Agroalimentàries, Spain Joyce Van Donkersgoed (DVM; MVS) - Alberta Beef Health Solutions Incidence and characterization of feedlot Kathy Parker (DVM) - Valley Veterinary Services (Three Hills) lambs and ewe flock lameness in Alberta Nicholaus Johnson (BSc) - AAFC Wiolene Montanari Nordi (PhD) and Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein (PhD) Lucia Holtshausen (PhD) - AAFC Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB Alberta Lamb Producers AGM November 3, 2018 Leduc, AB Funded by: Sheep production Lameness • 1 million head of sheep in Canada * Welfare and economic concern (Winter, 2008) • 11,000 farms • 2,000 farms in Alberta • Ewe flock and feedlot lambs • Modification of an animal’s gait associated with pain and discomfort • Reduced feed intake, BW and animal productivity • Increase labor and treatment costs Objectives Objectives - long term 1. Determine the occurrence of lameness in feedlot lambs 1. Share the findings to sheep industry - reports, magazines, and ewe flocks newsletters… 2. Characterize the types and severity of lameness 2. Decision tree for the accurate diagnosis of lame sheep 3. Identify risk factors, causative agents and their transmission rates 3. Inform best management practices and future vaccine development associated with lameness for footrot Incidence & Characterization of Feedlot Lambs & Ewe Flock Lameness in Alberta Dr. Wiolene Nordi and Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Study Design Study Design Feedlot lambs Ewe flocks Feedlot lambs Ewe flocks Slaughter plant Laboratory http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/sheep/general- https://www.labcompare.com news/lamb-slaughter-rises-again/2741011.aspx Characterization - Live animal study Study Design Feedlot lambs * Twice monthly * Pen by pen * Feedlot (50,000 heads annual capacity) LAME ANIMALS * 4 years – historical data (2014-2017) Lameness Score 1 – Mild * 2 years - Live animal (2018/2019) ( difficult to say which limb is affected ) 2 – Moderate * Lameness occurrence ( Steps uneven and steps shortened ) 3 – Severy ( Mobility is severe compromised ) Characterization - Live animal study Characterization - Live animal study Incidence & Characterization of Feedlot Lambs & Ewe Flock Lameness in Alberta Dr. Wiolene Nordi and Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Risk factors - Live animal study Feedlot - Live animal study Injury Broken Animal and Feedlot Environment health management conditions • Sex • Pen density • Weather • Temperature • Breed • Bunk space • Wind • Rectal temp. • Diet • Rain • Previous • Days on feed lameness • Humidity • Pen condition treatment • Season (mud) Feedlot - Live animal study Feedlot - Live animal study Arthritis Conformation Swollen joints Feedlot - Live animal study Transmission rates - Live animal study Interdigital dermatitis - ID * 10% of affected animals (FR or ID) - BY PEN * Evaluation in the barn/chute * Weekly Footrot Incidence & Characterization of Feedlot Lambs & Ewe Flock Lameness in Alberta Dr. Wiolene Nordi and Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Causative agents – Identification Study Causative agents – Identification Study Feedlot lambs Ewe flocks Swab - cell culture Bacteria growth? Slaughter plant Laboratory Biopsies - PCR Which bacteria? http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/sheep/general- https://www.labcompare.com news/lamb-slaughter-rises-again/2741011.aspx Slaughter study Slaughter study Feedlot lambs Ewe flocks * Once monthly * Evaluation of four legs (hooves) * 350 sheep HOOF LESIONS Slaughter plant Slaughter plant Laboratory http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/sheep/general- https://www.labcompare.com http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/sheep/general- news/lamb-slaughter-rises-again/2741011.aspx news/lamb-slaughter-rises-again/2741011.aspx Slaughter study Slaughter study * Infrared thermography * Collection of the feet – Hoof measurements * Fat measure * Carcass hot weight Size * Farm location Wide population of lambs Inflammation and ewe flocks in Alberta Incidence & Characterization of Feedlot Lambs & Ewe Flock Lameness in Alberta Dr. Wiolene Nordi and Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Feedlot - Live animal study Feedlot - Live animal study Lameness incidence by diagnosis (%) Lameness incidence by season (animal unit, n=279) 35.0 31.8 95 30.0 27.7 100 90 25.0 73 80 65 20.0 70 15.2 60 13.6 15.0 50 10.0 7.6 40 31 30 3.4 5.0 20 0.8 10 0.0 0 SPRING SUMMER FALL WINTER ARTHRITIS INJURY INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS FOOTROT JOINT INFECTION OTHERS UNKNOWN Feedlot - Live animal study Lameness incidence diagnosis by season (%) 50.0 Home message 40.0  Lameness is more common than originally thought 30.0 20.0  Associated with economic loss 10.0  Improved diagnosis will make treatments more effective 0.0  Improved management practices can aid in reducing the SPRING SUMMER FALL WINTER incidence and severity of lameness ARTHRITIS INJURY INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS FOOTROT JOINT INFECTION OTHERS UNKNOWN What we need….. YOU Th Thanks nks SHEEP PRODUCERS! wiolene.montanarinordi@canada.ca karen.genswein@canada.ca Incidence & Characterization of Feedlot Lambs & Ewe Flock Lameness in Alberta Dr. Wiolene Nordi and Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre