There are major threats to lambs' health in early life. Important diseases of the alimentary tract during this period include parasitic gastroenteritis, nematodiriasis, coccidiosis and enterotoxaemias. Liver fluke may be a problem in certain areas, and this may also predispose clostridial diseases, e.g. black disease and bacillary haemoglobinuria. The majority of pasteurellosis outbreaks occur from May to July, often in young lambs in which the disease is hyperacute and septicaemic rather than pneumonic. In some copper deficient areas of the country, swayback in lambs is common.
As the lambs grow, deficiencies in trace elements (e.g. cobalt and selenium deficiencies) may become a problem, depending on the area of the country. Delayed swayback may occur in some lambs in copper deficient areas.
In upland and hill areas, ticks and tick-borne diseases, such as louping ill, tick-borne fever and tick pyaemia, can be a real problem. As dipping lambs with ectoparasiticides is stressful, more farmers are using topical ectoparasiticides.
It is also the period when blowfly strike occurs, especially in animals with soiled fleeces. Many lambs are tail docked to reduce the risk of faecal soiling and hence fly strike. The Welfare of Livestock (Prohibited Operations) Regulations 1982 (SI 1982 No 1884) (FAWC, 1994; MAFF, 1989; MAFF, 1995) prohibit short-tail docking of sheep, unless sufficient tail is retained to cover the vulva in the case of female sheep and the anus in the case of male sheep. The use of rubber rings for tail docking has become increasingly popular over recent years. The use of rubber rings is restricted to the first week of life only. However, it is advisable not to use the technique during the first 24 hours as it may interfere with colostrum intake and ewe-lamb bonding (FAWC, 1994). Much research has been conducted into the level of pain felt by the animal with the use of different tail docking techniques (French et al., 1994; Kent et al., 1993; Kent et al., 1998; Lester at al., 1996; Mellor and Murray, 1989a; Mellor and Murray, 1989b; Molony et al., 1993; Rhodes et al., 1994; Stevenson, 1994; Wood et al., 1991).
Headflies can be a particular nuisance to growing horned and/or male sheep, due to injuries. One of the reasons many farmers castrate male lambs is to avoid injury through fighting. Other reasons are the prevention of indiscriminate breeding, downgrading of carcasses for excessive ram characteristics and to aid the fattening of lambs of slower growing and maturing breeds. Again, several castration methods have been compared extensively in terms of animal welfare (Hosie et al., 1996; Kent et al., 1993; Kent et al., 1998; Lester at al., 1996; Mellor and Murray, 1989a; Mellor and Murray, 1989b; Mellor and Molony, 1991; Molony et al., 1993; Molony et al., 1997; Scott et al., 1996; Stevenson, 1994; Wood et al., 1991). The FAWC (1994) recommends that farmers consider carefully whether castration and tail docking within a particular flock are necessary in the light of changing market requirements within the sheep industry. Farmers should only carry out these mutilations if the type of system would otherwise lead to welfare problems through difficulties in management procedures.
In certain areas (e.g. Wales) coenurosis, spread by dogs, is a major problem. Orf is one of the greatest hazards for susceptible, growing lambs. It may also predispose ewes to mastitis. Another problem ewes face is hypomagnesaemia, due to lush spring grass, and this is often precipitated by bad weather conditions.
Much of the consumer's welfare concern has focussed on the transport of lambs to slaughterhouses, especially in the case of live exports to the mainland of Europe. Most conventional lambs are still being sold through livestock markets (Jarvis and Cockram, 1995; see MAFF, 1990). As many livestock markets and slaughterhouses have been closed in recent years, travel times in the United Kingdom have also increased (Warriss et al., 1990). The concerns have led to research into the behaviour of sheep during transport (Bradshaw et al., 1996; Broom et al., 1996; Cockram et al., 1996; Hall et al., 1997; Horton et al., 1996; Jarvis and Cockram, 1994; Jarvis et al., 1996; Knowles et al., 1993; Knowles et al., 1994a; Knowles et al., 1994b; Knowles et al., 1995; Knowles et al., 1996; Knowles et al., 1998; Parrott et al., 1998; Randall, 1993). The animals must be handled and transported according to MAFF (1989) Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock and UKROFS (2000) Organic Standards. New legislation will soon come into force restricting the number of hours sheep can travel without rest, food or water.