Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Sheep: Pneumonia Prevention in Adults

Pneumonia in adult sheep causes significant welfare harm and often goes undetected until disease is advanced, requiring proactive monitoring.

Key Facts

Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) and Maedi-Visna are chronic progressive lung diseases of adult sheep
Bacterial pneumonia causes acute fever, nasal discharge, and respiratory difficulty
Adult sheep pneumonia often presents subtly and is frequently identified only at slaughter
Enzootic pneumonia complex in adults causes chronic production loss and welfare compromise
Management factors including housing density, ventilation, and mixing of animals increase pneumonia risk

Welfare Considerations

Adult sheep pneumonia causes chronic respiratory compromise and welfare deterioration that may be gradual and difficult to detect. By the time clinical signs are obvious, lung damage is often severe and irreversible. Regular observation for early signs including reluctance to move, laboured breathing, and reduced body condition enables earlier intervention. OPA and Maedi-Visna have no effective treatment and require prompt culling for welfare reasons.

What You Can Do

Observe all sheep from behind for respiratory effort during regular checks
Test for OPA, Maedi-Visna, and other chronic respiratory diseases in your flock
Cull sheep confirmed with incurable chronic respiratory disease promptly
Review housing ventilation and stocking density as respiratory disease risk factors
Work with your vet to investigate and control pneumonia where it is a recurring problem