Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Sheep: Tick-Borne Fever and Welfare

Tick-borne fever caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes immunosuppression and acute fever, with welfare harm compounded by secondary infections.

Key Facts

Tick-borne fever is transmitted by the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus in Scotland, Wales, and upland England
Clinical signs include high fever, depression, and severe immunosuppression lasting 2-3 weeks
Immunosuppression from tick-borne fever predisposes to secondary infections including pasteurellosis and Louping ill
Treatment with oxytetracycline is effective if given early in the infection
Tick control through acaricide treatment and avoiding high-risk habitat reduces infection risk

Welfare Considerations

Tick-borne fever causes acute systemic illness with high fever and severe malaise, with the immunosuppression creating vulnerability to potentially fatal secondary infections. Animals on tick-infested upland grazings require close monitoring during spring and autumn tick activity peaks. The welfare harm of tick-borne fever extends beyond the primary infection to the secondary diseases it facilitates.

What You Can Do

Monitor tick burdens on sheep in high-risk upland areas during spring and autumn
Apply acaricide treatment to sheep entering high-risk tick habitat
Treat suspected tick-borne fever promptly with oxytetracycline
Maintain Louping ill vaccination in flocks on tick-infested ground
Record tick-associated disease to assess the effectiveness of control measures