Sheep Tick-Borne Disease Prevention and Welfare

How tick-borne diseases including louping ill and tick-borne fever affect sheep welfare and how integrated management reduces disease burden.

Key Facts

Ticks are the most significant ectoparasite welfare challenge for sheep in upland UK and European grazing systems
Louping ill virus, transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks, causes encephalitis with high mortality in naive sheep
Tick-borne fever reduces immune function and increases susceptibility to secondary infections including pasteurellosis
Tick pyaemia causes painful joint and organ abscesses in lambs that are frequently fatal without treatment
Tick populations are expanding in range and season length due to climate change
Integrated tick management includes pasture management, strategic acaricide treatment, and vaccination where available
Louping ill vaccination is available in the UK and significantly reduces mortality in endemic areas

Welfare Considerations

Tick-borne diseases represent a serious welfare burden for sheep in endemic areas, causing painful and often fatal conditions including encephalitis, joint abscesses, and secondary bacterial infections. Climate change is extending both the geographic range and seasonal activity of tick populations, increasing disease pressure. The welfare consequences extend beyond direct disease - tick burden itself causes discomfort, blood loss, and reduced body condition. Effective integrated tick management requires understanding of tick ecology, strategic intervention timing, and appropriate use of vaccination and acaricide treatments. Stockpeople in tick-endemic areas need access to good veterinary guidance on current best practice.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate sheep against louping ill in endemic areas following veterinary advice on timing
Implement strategic tick treatments using veterinary-approved acaricides at appropriate times in the tick season
Monitor flock for tick burden and tick-borne disease signs regularly during grazing season
Use pasture management approaches including heather management and appropriate stocking to reduce tick habitat
Consult your veterinarian for updated guidance on tick control as climate change alters tick distribution