Sheep News

After surging prices in the first half of 2024, the sheep meat sector will be challenged in the second half of the year with falling production and tight budgets impacting consumer demand.

Heidi Bell is one of only eight Babydoll sheep breeders in the UK, and she’s determined to save this incredibly rare breed.

A great calibre of livestock was in attendance at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show, and no stone was left unturned by judges in the ring, the organiser confirms. 

In a recent AHDB Food & Farming podcast, experts gathered to discuss the likelihood of a vaccine for the latest strain of bluetongue virus, which began to appear on farms in Kent and Norfolk last year. Sarah Kidby reports.

There will be a gap in the supply of the EAE (Enzootic Abortion of Ewes) vaccine, Cevac Chlamydia, from June to August, due to a vaccine batch failure.

The government has set out its plan for tackling an outbreak of BTV-3 this summer, as it works to deploy a vaccine.

Two vaccines are now available for BTV-3, which first emerged late last year, and have been granted emergency authorisation in two countries.

While roundworm activity so far this season has been relatively low, recent temperature increase means this could change quickly on many farms.

The British farming community has criticised Morrisons for dropping its pledge to source only British lamb. 

Action is needed now to prevent blowfly strike as red alerts are being sent to farmers across the South, Midlands and Eastern UK.

Police have ordered a dog owner to pay £300 and issued a conditional caution after their loose dog killed a lamb.

A study done on worm egg counts in lambs from the last five years has revealed yearly changes in the risk period. It also serves as a warning to all farmers to take regular faecal egg count tests to help prevent unnecessary losses.