Sheep News

MSD Animal Health has launched its 2026 FlockCheck diagnostic scheme, giving sheep farmers across England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to test their flocks for exposure to toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion (EAE) from 1st December 2025. 

The National Sheep Association (NSA) Lambing List is now open for farmers ahead of lambing season, offering a solution for those seeking extra help at their busiest time of year. 

Parasite experts say the 2025-26 season is following the trend for variable extent and timing of liver fluke challenge.

“I absolutely loved it, genuinely. What an honour,” said British TV presenter and farmer Adam Henson, as he completed the first run at the Woolmen’s Sheep Drive. 

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has addressed concerns over the increasing volumes of imported lamb on UK supermarket shelves.

A recent survey by the Wales Veterinary Science Centre (WVSC) highlights the risk of serious losses to the sheep industry if iceberg diseases are not brought to the fore in disease management programmes. 

Claims have been circulating on social media that a majority of meat in UK supermarkets is halal, with concerns over the proportion of animals slaughtered without prior stunning.

With ewe and ram sales in full swing, farmers are being reminded of the importance of effective quarantine protocols – not only to protect their existing flocks but also their new purchases.

A woman from Willington, Derbyshire, has been banned for a year from taking dogs onto agricultural land after her dog attacked and injured 25 sheep.

Harris Tweed, the wool clothing manufacturer, has responded to PETA’s calls for the brand to replace sheep’s fleece with plant-based alternatives such as hemp — and even rebrand itself as ‘Harris Weed’.

The first laboratory-made vaccine to protect livestock against the Barber’s Pole worm – a highly damaging gastrointestinal parasite most commonly found in sheep and goats – has just been developed.

The deadline is imminent for those who haven’t yet vaccinated to enter the NSA’s main ram sale this year.