Respiratory Disease in Sheep: Deep Welfare and Management Guide
Respiratory disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sheep at all ages, causing significant welfare suffering that requires active prevention and treatment.
Key Facts
- Sheep pneumonia complex involves Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae
- Affected sheep show fever, nasal discharge, labored breathing, and rapid deterioration
- Lambs are most susceptible in the first weeks of life and during the weaning period
- Chronic pneumonia leads to permanent lung damage causing reduced welfare and production long-term
- Vaccination against Pasteurella and Mycoplasma reduces clinical disease significantly
Welfare Considerations
Respiratory disease in sheep causes acute and chronic welfare suffering — the fever, pain of inflamed airways, labored breathing, and progressive deterioration of severe pneumonia represent significant individual welfare harm. Early cases may show only reduced activity and slightly elevated respiratory rates, making detection difficult without systematic monitoring. Welfare-focused management requires respiratory disease monitoring at the flock level, prompt treatment of individual cases with appropriate antibiotics, anti-inflammatory pain relief, and nursing care including shelter and access to water. Vaccination programs targeting the primary bacterial and mycoplasmal pathogens, combined with management practices that reduce stress-related immunosuppression, form the welfare-optimized prevention strategy.
What You Can Do
- Implement vaccination against Pasteurella multocida and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae where disease is endemic
- Monitor lambs daily during the first 6 weeks of life for early respiratory signs
- Treat respiratory cases promptly with appropriate antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication
- Provide shelter from wind and rain for all sheep, especially lambs during the first weeks of life
- Record respiratory disease cases and deaths to identify outbreak patterns requiring investigation