Educational resources for raising sheep
FAMACHA
For a quick way to help you decide whether to administer a dewormer or not, you can learn to do your own FAMACHA scoring. Looking at the color of the mucus membrane in the lower eyelid will indicate if your sheep is anemic. Anemia is most commonly caused by an intestinal parasite called the Barber Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) which is very common in sheep.
You can watch a free online explanatory video about sheep parasites, FAMACHA scoring, and deworming at:
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​https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/famacha/
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​If you pass the quiz and send in a video of yourself doing FAMACHA scoring on live sheep, you can get your own certification. Springwood Farm staff can show you how to do the FAMACHA and help you get your video. This is an essential skill for any shepherd. Barbados Blackbelly sheep are exceptionally resistant and resilient to intestinal parasites but occasionally one does need some help.
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BODY CONDITION SCORE
Judging the body condition is important in monitoring the health of your sheep. We can teach you how to do it and give you a laminated card to keep for reference. A healthy sheep is around a 3.
Reputable sites for all things sheep:
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https://www.sheep101.info/201/
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*Your county should have free or low cost services provided by your sheep or small ruminant extension agent. To find your local agent, go to:
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https://extension.org/find-cooperative-extension-in-your-state/
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and
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https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator
Best site for all things about Barbados Blackbelly sheep specifically, including conformation, buying, tagging, history, health, marketing, registration, housing, nutrition, lambing and more.
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Sheep Diseases to avoid
OPP (Ovine Progressive Pneumonia) is a common, slowly progressing viral disease that primarily affects the lungs and udder, but can also impact joints and the nervous system. Many sheep don't show symptoms until they are two years of age or older, and the disease can lead to wasting, respiratory issues, and decreased milk production. Sheep can be infected with the virus but be asymptomatic for life, but those carriers can pass the virus on to other sheep who may succumb (much like Covid-19). Symptoms include progressive weight loss despite eating well; respiratory problems like labored breathing; mastitis which leads to a hard udder with little or no milk; and arthritis with painful swollen joints; and unsteady gait or paralysis. There is no cure or vaccine for OPP. We began our sheep journey with sheep we had purchased from a number of other breeders and in 2017 discovered that 50% of our sheep were infected with OPP. We had to euthanize a number of our precious flock and spent several years in a strict program to save genetics but eliminate the infected animals. Since then, we have done numerous flock testings and keep our flock safely at a confirmed OPP negative status through our strict biosecurity protocols. For more information, see: https://oppsociety.org/
Footrot is a highly contagious disease which causes damage to the tissue between the toes of sheep and cattle. Infected animals become so painful they cannot stand, and are seen kneeling to move or graze. It is caused by a combination of organisms which can survive in soil for many months. Once present in a flock or on a farm, footrot can be very difficult to control. We bought Springwood Farm in 2007 and have had cattle, horses, and sheep since, and we have never had a case of footrot. USDA also tested some of our sheep for foot pathogens which showed all negative. Sheep feet are trimmed and examined at least twice a year on our farm.
Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease of the central nervous system in sheep and goats, characterized by neurological signs like itching, tremors, and incoordination. It is caused by a misfolded protein called a prion, and is not a genetic disease itself, though certain genetic markers in sheep influence susceptibility. The United States has almost eradicated scrapie within our borders but the program still requires vigilance, sampling at slaughterhouses, and specific ear tagging for sheep (scrapie tags linking back to the farm of origin). Every Springwood Farm sheep sold has genetic resistance to scrapie, which we determine by DNA testing and parentage analysis. You will be provided with documentation along with the health history of your purchased sheep. For more information about scrapie, see https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/sheep-goat/scrapie
CL (caseous lymphadenitis) is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. It causes abscesses filled with pus externally or internally. CL can spread from animal to animal or from the environment through contact with anything contaminated by the pus. The organism can survive several months in soil and environment There is no cure although there is a vaccine whose use can be quite complicated so it is not widely recommended. Springwood Farm has never had a case of CL and we have tested numerous animals over the years to confirm our negative status. Our biosecurity protocols keep our animals safe from this disease.
Johne's disease, also known as paratuberculosis, is a chronic, contagious, and often fatal bacterial infection affecting the intestines of sheep, goats, cattle, and other ruminants. It's caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), which leads to inflammation and thickening of the intestinal walls, reducing nutrient absorption. The disease can affect animals of any age, but clinical signs typically appear in sheep after two years of age. There is no treatment for this disease, so prevention is key. Our flock of Springwood Farm Barbados Blackbelly has been periodically spot tested and been found negative for this devastating disease.