Orf (Contagious Ecthyma) in Sheep and Goats: Management and Welfare

Orf causes painful mouth and lip lesions in young lambs and kids, affecting feeding ability and welfare, while also posing zoonotic risk to handlers.

Key Facts

Orf (contagious ecthyma) is caused by a parapoxvirus affecting the lips, gums, and skin of young ruminants
Lesions are most severe in young lambs in their first few weeks of life
Affected lambs may be reluctant to suck due to oral pain, increasing starvation and mismothering risk
The virus survives for years in scabs and soil, making environmental decontamination difficult
No specific antiviral treatment exists; management focuses on preventing secondary bacterial infection
Live vaccine is available and used in endemic farms, applied to healthy animals only
Orf is zoonotic - handlers can develop painful lesions from direct contact with infected animals

Welfare Considerations

Orf causes painful ulcerative lesions that significantly affect lamb welfare by impairing suckling and feeding. Severely affected lambs may become too painful to nurse, leading to hypoglycemia and starvation. Secondary bacterial infection worsens lesions. The condition resolves spontaneously in 3-6 weeks but this represents significant welfare duration for young lambs. On endemic farms, vaccination before the risk period substantially reduces disease incidence. Where disease occurs, soft supplementary feeds, topical antiseptic treatment, and supported suckling for severely affected lambs minimize welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate flocks with live orf vaccine before the risk period on farms with endemic disease
Wear gloves when handling orf-affected animals - orf is zoonotic and causes painful human lesions
Provide soft supplementary feeds (milk replacer, soft palatable concentrates) for affected lambs unable to suck
Apply topical antiseptic ointment to lesions to reduce secondary bacterial infection
Monitor affected lambs' body weight and condition to catch starvation before it becomes severe
Isolate severely affected lambs where possible to reduce spread within the group
Report zoonotic transmission cases to occupational health services for appropriate treatment