Overview: Welfare analysis of louping ill virus in sheep, a tick-borne encephalitis causing neurological disease.
Key Welfare Facts
Louping ill virus is transmitted by the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus and causes fatal encephalitis in naive sheep.
Affected animals show progressive neurological signs including ataxia, head tremors, and convulsions before death.
The disease causes significant suffering over several days before fatal outcome in clinically affected sheep.
Vaccine availability provides effective protection in at-risk flocks on tick-endemic rough grazing land.
Tick burden management through acaricide treatments, habitat management, and managed grazing reduces exposure risk.
Grouse moors act as reservoir hosts, maintaining tick populations at high levels with consequences for sheep welfare.
Welfare Assessment
Louping ill is a preventable welfare emergency on tick-endemic land. Vaccination, integrated tick management, and careful monitoring of animals after movement onto high-risk ground are the primary welfare interventions available.
What You Can Do
Vaccinate all at-risk sheep before turnout onto tick-endemic ground
Implement integrated tick management including acaricide treatments and habitat management
Monitor recently moved sheep closely for early neurological signs
Work with grouse moor managers to coordinate tick management across land boundaries