Managing health in the face of changing climate Ruth Clements
Dec 05, 2014
Managing health in the face of changing climate
Ruth Clements
Challenges associated with climate change
• Economic – more people to feed, but not an elastic demand. Pressure on cost of production and efficiency.
• Adaptation – be that cycles of change, increased volatility or overall change.
• Mitigation – what might we be required to do to reduce the carbon footprint:– Intensify– De‐intensify– Integrated farming
Disease and ill health costs ...• What have been the changing direct costs in 1000 ewe sheep production at FAI linked to changing climate patterns:– BTV vaccination = 0.60p/dose £1,400/yr
– Initial loss of sheep to fluke £2,500
– Subsequent increased fluke tx £348/yr
– Increased use of wormers £331/yr
– Change of product insecticide £661/yr
• Impacts on efficiency and productivity are often difficult to quantify. Much disease is sub‐clinical.
Managing Animal Health
The challenge is to plan and prioritise, and to keep an open mind to changes.
Managing health
• Encouraging tolerance to disease can be very useful.– Adaptive breeding
• Managing environment and modifying husbandry methods.
• Working on optimal nutrition, particularly micro‐nutrients.
• Quantifying the current situation – Knowing where you stand, and what the national picture is
Quantifying current situation• Current production and herd/flock records:
– Production parameters, disease levels, costs.
• Diagnostics, ongoing monitoring and response to change.
Liver Fluke at FAI – an example
River Thames
Kings lock
Seacourt tributary
Acute flooding caused by heavy rainfall.Short term effects:•Initial deaths•Stress related illness•Concurrent disease•Insufficient pastureLonger term effects:•Change in habitat•Change in plant and animal species
Juncus inflexus
Investigation of Liver Fluke at FAI• After initial acute problem a revised plan was needed .
• We first quantified the overall scale of problem.
Key Factors• Water habitat• Aquatic snail host•Pasture indicators• Egg excretion• Clinical signs in animals
Investigation of Liver Fluke
Environmental Indicators
Animal Indicators
Investigation of Liver Fluke
Fluke Health plan
Example – Lameness at FAI
• Improvement in lameness levels at FAI, but problem remains costly in terms of time, meds, and welfare.
• National incidence estimated at between 6 ‐11%.
• A new initiative has been developed alongside an innovative sheep farmer who recognised the cost of treating lame sheep and was not prepared to accept ill health as normal in his flock.
• A new protocol was developed aimed a tackling lameness with a combination of measures.
Foot rot and ScaldLameness Reduction programme Protocol
Initial Protocol ‐ Overview
• Use cull tags to identify animals badly affected by foot rot , be ruthless to begin with. Any animal treated for moderate or severe foot rot (see lameness scoring guide) more than once in one season should be cull tagged, and separated from the main flock at the earliest possible convenience.
• Catch and treat any lame animal seen in accordance with the treatment protocol.• Run flock through 10% zinc sulphate footbath at gathering as a preventative measure and in the event of
outbreaks.• Assess handling and housing facilities and pasture to identify any particular areas likely to increase the risk of
disease transmission. Where possible modify these facilities or take remedial measures to reduce disease transmission.
• Vaccinate all breeding stock in January and June with the Footvax vaccine. Vaccinate any lambs over wintered in January.
• Quarantine all incoming stock in accordance with quarantine protocol. Identify disease and treatment history of all replacement stock. Review buying policy.
Key Elements1.Breed for resistance – CULL2.Encourage immunity – VACCINATE3.Prevent spread – TREAT, MODIFY4.Prevent Introduction ‐ QUARANTINE
Current programme• Initial roll out on three farms – quantification of current problem, modification of protocol, resolution of practical issues.
Lameness Health plan
The challenge is to plan and prioritise, and to keep an open mind to changes.
Actions for the future – what can we do?
• Quantify the current situation.• Decide on production criteria and work out how to tackle health concerns.
• Operate the health plans effectively.• Use disease forecasts, and keep an open mind to ongoing changes.
• Farm vets and health professionals can help in decision making but this needs to be a farmer led partnership.
Planning for Health
• Once the situation is quantified an overall timed action plan can be determined.
• Ongoing adaptation is key, system must be easily accessible and changeable over time.