Assure Ewe launch offers investigative support for sheep vets
It is estimated that 12 million accessible breeding ewes (91%) are not vaccinated against enzootic abortion in the UK. Any flock with an abortion rate of over 2% could be suffering from this disease, at a cost of £85 per aborted ewe.
Ceva Animal Health’s newly launched Assure Ewe subsidised testing scheme can assist practitioners identify the cause on-farm in an easily-accessible way.
“Abortion remains one of the most significant reasons for loss in sheep flocks and an abortion storm can lead to crippling results on farm,” explains Ceva’s Stephenie Clarke. “Enzootic abortion caused by C. abortus remains the main cause of ovine abortion in the UK1 and once in a flock, takes time to control as exposed ewes can become latently infected.”
Assure Ewe is a subsidised blood testing scheme open to all flocks with 50 or more breeding ewes; in contrast to other schemes, evidence of an abortion does not need to have taken place.
Blood samples should be collected from six ewes, with full farm and vet details also supplied. Upon results, Ceva will share information with the participating vet to discuss with the farmer.
“Assure Ewe is a very user friendly, simple scheme that will help facilitate conversations between vets and farmers while, at the same time, providing useful testing information to vets,” Dr Clarke adds. “Ceva encourages evidence based veterinary decisions, and this is just one example of such an initiative.”
If C. abortus is identified in a flock, a veterinary-devised plan combining vaccination with Cevac® Chlamydia, biosecurity and only purchasing stock from accredited flocks will assist disease control and eventual eradication.
Contact your Ceva territory manager for further information on the scheme.
