This document discusses how veterinarians can better serve sheep producers by gaining knowledge about sheep health, management, and production goals. It emphasizes the importance of the veterinarian-client relationship for flock health management and legal drug use. Veterinarians are encouraged to learn about common sheep health issues, production practices, and the enterprise goals for different farms. Both veterinarians and producers must be committed to animal welfare and improving communication and services.

1. BEING A GOOD SHEEP VET
PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH INFORMATION AND SERVICES
THEY WILL VALUE
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
SHEEP & GOAT SPECIALIST
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION
SSCHOEN@UMD.EDU - WWW.SHEEPANDGOAT.COM

2. WHAT DO PRODUCERS AND VETERINARIANS WANT?
Producers
 Timely access to
information and services.
 Access (legal) to drugs.
 Value for their dollar.
Veterinarians
 To be put in situations where
they can help their clientele and
patients.
 Ensure legal and proper use of
animal health products.
 To be fairly compensated for
their services.

3. CURRENT SITUATION (US, CANADA?)
 A veterinary education is very expensive.
 Only a small percentage of graduates from
US veterinary schools go on to work with
food animals.
 Many graduates have limited knowledge
and experience with large animals,
especially small ruminants.
 Many sheep producers do not utilize the
services of veterinarians, especially in the
area of whole flock management.
 We need more veterinarians who are willing
to work with sheep producers and who are
knowledgeable about sheep health and
production.

4. WHY THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE
 Sheep producers can benefit from
the veterinary-client relationship.
 Producers can’t (shouldn’t) do
everything where animal health is
concerned.
 Without the services of a
veterinarians, animal welfare may be
compromised.
 Sheep producers are potential
untapped client-base for many
veterinarians, especially mixed-
animal practitioners.

5. WHY THIS HAS TO CHANGE: DRUGS
 Few drugs are approved for use in
sheep.
 Extra-label drugs are often required to
treat and manage disease in a sheep
flock or feedlot.
 Only a veterinarian can use and/or
prescribe drugs extra-label.
 Laws and policies regarding drug use in
livestock are only going to get stricter.
 Both producers and veterinarians are
harmed by illegal use of animal health
products.

6. WHY THIS HAS TO CHANGE: PUBLIC
 The public is demanding stricter control
of antibiotics and other animal health
products.
 The public is demanding that their food
be produced with fewer drugs and
chemicals.
 The public is increasingly interested in
how their food is produced, including
how animals are raised.
 It will take partnerships between
producers, government, veterinarians,
and other service providers to
successfully manage animal health in
these changing times and ensure that
reasonable policies are enacted.

7. PARTNERSHIP: DIFFERENT ROLES
Producer
 Deworming and injections
 Vaccinations (except rabies)
 Docking and castrating
 Obstetrics
 Simple disease diagnosis
 Sample collection
 Simple “surgeries” and treatments
 Rx treatments as prescribed by
veterinarian
 Field “necropsy”
Veterinarian
 More advanced obstetrics, especially for new
and less experienced producers.
 More complex disease diagnosis
 Conduct, suggest tests for disease diagnosis
 Prescribe drugs for treatment
 Surgeries, such as caesarian section
 Necropsies
 Emergency care

8. FLOCK HEALTH MANAGEMENT VS. EMERGENCY
Emergency treatment
 Producer calls veterinarian at last
minute.
Animal dies – it is vet’s fault or
veterinarian is not available
 Veterinarian may not have
specific knowledge of farm and
enterprise.
 Some emergency calls are
necessary.
Flock health management
 Veterinarian is part of
management team; visits farm
periodically.
 Veterinarian is familiar with
enterprise: nutrition,
management, etc. – can make
better recommendations.
 Places emphasis on prevention
rather than treatment.
 Cost savings in the long run.

9. KNOW THE GOAL OF THE SHEEP ENTERPRISE AND FARM
 Pets
 Grazing management
 Hobby
 4-H or youth project
 Small farm - for profit
 Large farm - for profit
 Diversified farm

10. KNOW THE PRODUCTION EMPHASIS AND END PRODUCT(S)
 Seedstock - show
 Seedstock - commercial
 4-H and youth projects
 Commercial - lamb (feeder or
slaughter)
 Commercial - lamb + wool
 Commercial - dairy
 Commercial - feedlot or lamb
grazing

11. KNOW THE PRODUCTION PHILOSOPHY
 Low input
 Intensive
 Organic
 Natural
 Animal-welfare
 Grass-fed, pasture-raised, free-range
 Zero grazing (confinement)
 Certifications

12. ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT FEEDING & NUTRITION
 Feed is the largest cost in a sheep operation,
especially feedlot.
 Good nutrition is the foundation of animal health.
 Does the farm test feeds and forages?
 Does the farm weigh feed and animals?
 Does the farm feed balanced rations?
 What is the suplementation program?
 Does the farm grow or buy feed?
 Where does the farm buy feed?
 Has soil and water been tested?

13. FIND OUT WHAT MOST COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE
 Internal parasites
Worms (which specie?) and/or coccidia
Clinical or sub-clinical?
 Foot problems
Foot rot or scald
 Mastitis
Clinical or sub-clinical, hard bag (OPP)
 Metabolic
Pregnancy toxemia, enterotoxemia, other
 Respiratory
 Other

14. LEARN CURRENT ANIMAL HEALTH PRACTICES
Parasite control
 Deworming practices
 Use of fecal egg counts
 Use of FAMACHA©
 Use of coccidiostats
 Other parasite control strategies
Vaccinations
 Clostridial diseases
Enterotoxemias, tetanus, others
 Soremouth (orf)
 Abortions
 Pneumonia
 CL
 Rabies
 Other

15. OTHER ANIMAL HEALTH PRACTICES
 Footrot/scald
 OPP - Maedi Visna
 Scrapie
 Johne’s disease (OJD)
 Caseous lymphadenitis
(CL)
 Other

16. ASK ABOUT BIOSECURITY
 Flock status
Closed, mostly-closed (only rams introduced), frequent
introductions, showing/exhibiting
 Quarantine practices
Place, duration, animal health practices (re: hoof health, internal
parasites)
 Disease status(es): scrapie, OPP, CL, JD, footrot, orf
 Visitors
 Other practices

17. ENCOURAGE PRODUCERS TO SET BENCHMARKS
 Pregnancy rates
# ewes exposed / # ewes lambing
 Lambing percentage
# ewes exposed / # lambs
marketed
 Pre-weaning death losses
 Post-weaning death losses
 Ewe replacement rate
 Other performance measures

18. ENCOURAGE PRODUCERS TO DO TESTING
 Necropsies
 Tissue analysis /
cultures
 Disease - OPP, scrapie
 Forage, feed, water,
and soil

19. TALK LIKE A SHEEP PRODUCER
 Correctly identify sheep
breeds.
Don’t have a “favorite”
breed
 Learn market
terminology.
 Complain about weather
and prices. 

20. WHAT PRODUCERS NEED TO DO
 Value role of veterinarian in flock health
management.
 Be willing learn from veterinarian(s).
 Commit to use drugs properly and legally
 Commit to a high level of animal welfare.
 Provide proper handling and restraint of sheep
during on-farm consultations and treatments.
 Be willing to transport individual animals to
clinic,
 Share knowledge and experience
 Follow-up on specific cases.

21. WHAT VETERINARIANS NEED TO DO
 Keep up-to-date on sheep health and
management.
 Take advantage of continuing education
opportunities.
 Be available
 Follow-up with clients
 Be visible in industry.
 Be willing to learn from producers.
 Demonstrate that having a veterinarian as part
of the sheep management team improves
profitability.

22. REACH OUT TO SHEEP PRODUCERS
 Social media
 Newsletters
 Open house
 Host educational
programs
 Speak at educational
programs
 Interact with industry
 Raise sheep 

23. CONSIDER OFFERING ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Parasite control
 Fecal egg counting
Monitor pasture
contamination
To select resistant animals
To determine drug efficacy
 Larvae ID
Reproduction
 Breeding soundness exam
semen evaluation
 Pregnancy testing
 Assisted reproduction
Artificial insemination (AI)
Embryo transfer (ET)

24. THANK YOUR FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
SUSAN S CHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
sschoen@umd.edu
www.sheepandgoat.