Summer management of sheep involves specific welfare challenges—fly strike prevention, heat stress management, internal parasites, and pasture management—that require proactive attention during the grazing season.
Blowfly strike (myiasis) is the most serious summer welfare emergency in sheep, caused by blowfly larvae feeding on living tissue. Conditions favouring strike include: warm, wet weather; soiled fleeces from scour; skin wounds; dense wool; and lame sheep with foot rot. Preventive measures include: shearing or dagging before fly season; protecting wounds; using prophylactic insecticides (organophosphate pour-ons, insect growth regulators); and daily flock observation during peak risk periods.
Gastro-intestinal nematodes—particularly Haemonchus contortus (barber's pole worm) in warm conditions—cause significant welfare impacts through anaemia, bottle jaw, and death. FAMACHA scoring (conjunctival colour assessment indicating anaemia) identifies individuals requiring treatment. Regular faecal egg counting guides treatment decisions. Targeted selective treatment (treating only affected individuals) reduces anthelmintic resistance development while maintaining parasite control welfare outcomes.
Sheep in full fleece in hot weather are vulnerable to heat stress, particularly dark-woolled breeds on exposed pasture. Providing shade, adequate clean water, and avoiding gathering during the hottest part of the day reduces heat stress risk. Timing handling operations to cooler mornings and evenings minimises heat-related welfare compromise. Recently shorn sheep exposed to cold, wet weather face hypothermia risk requiring shelter provision.
Foot rot (Dichelobacter nodosus) and interdigital dermatitis are prevalent welfare challenges in summer, particularly in wet conditions. Foot bathing (zinc sulphate, formalin) reduces infection transmission and treats mild cases. Lame sheep require prompt individual treatment with appropriate antibiotics; chronic lame sheep failing treatment require veterinary assessment. Footbath facilities, flock-level treatment protocols, and culling of chronically affected individuals are elements of systematic foot health management.