Experts are calling on Australian farmers to protect their flocks to ensure they get more lambs on the ground and to help improve the overall profitability of the sheep industry.
Euroa farmer Russell Mawson did just that, with the help of Coopers Animal Health.
“With Coopers Campyvax, we found a solution to the devastating problem of campylobacter,” he said.
“We did the blood tests and sent it off, the answers were compelling.
“From that point, we sat down and put a program together on what we were going to do and manage it moving forward.
“Since we have been using Coopers Campyvax, we have seen a big difference.
“There has been a sea of lambs — lots and lots of live lambs.
“We need to have more people with an understanding of the problem.”
Livestock Logic senior veterinarian Andrew Whale explained what the bacterial disease is and how it spreads on farm.
“Campylobacter is a bacterial infection that causes late term abortions and stillbirths in ewes,” Dr Whale said.
“There are two strains of campylobacter — C. jejuni and C. fetus fetus — that are known to cause lamb abortions, with 95 per cent of Australian farms testing positive for at least one strain of the bacteria.
“It presents itself in the intestines of healthy sheep and can be spread in faeces, urine and aborted foetuses.
“This leads to contaminated pastures, water sources and therefore the ingestion of the bacteria by previously unexposed sheep.”
Dr Whale said infected ewes appear healthy and productive and may only show signs of campylobacter when they don’t produce a lamb.
“Campylobacter is an underlining issue greatly impacting farmers’ bottom line, which they aren't usually aware of,” he said.
“I would classify it as an endemic issue with research showing that nearly all Australian farms have the bacteria.
“I believe most maiden ewes in Australia should be vaccinated against campylobacter.”
Initially, campylobacter was only thought to be an issue in cool, high rainfall regions in Victoria, Tasmania and southern parts of NSW, however, now experts are seeing infections in drier, mixed farming and pastoral areas across all of Australia.
Dr Whale encourages producers to consider the risks associated with not vaccinating and to be aware that some flock management practices increase the likelihood of campylobacter being an issue.
Producers should be aware of the following practices when it comes to campylobacter:
● Joining maiden or ewe lambs.
● Trail feeding pregnant ewes.
● Cell grazing pregnant ewes.
● Containment feeding pregnant ewes.
● Buying/transporting new ewes onto the farm.
