The joint message from farming organisations including the NFU and NSA is that it is critical to minimise disease risk during shearing to maintain flock health both on your farm and across the wider industry. Below are some key guidelines:
- Establish the flock health status before shearing starts and agree on what steps will be taken to safeguard health status and prevent disease spread. Foot rot, particularly contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CoDD), scab, lice, ticks, and caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) should be discussed.
- Disinfect - Shearers should clean and disinfect combs and cutters, shearing trailers, and change clothes (including moccasins) after finishing with each flock. Farmers should assist shearers with cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
- Reduce exposure - Shear younger, fitter sheep first, followed by older and less healthy sheep to reduce the risk of cross-infection.
- Personal hygiene – Everyone handling sheep should wash hands frequently and clean and disinfect boots.
- Clean and disinfect as you go - Sheep with obvious issues that could infect the handpiece, such as orf, scab, or lumps (which could be CLA), should prompt the shearer to stop, change/disinfect their comb and cutter and other items that may have been in contact. Wash hands where necessary.
Read the updated guidelines at the ‘Industry Guidance on Shearing’.
what3words
Farmers often work in isolation, but what happens when something goes wrong?
Over 62 UK Emergency Services are encouraging you to share your 3-word address - and you can use the what3words app on your smartphone to do this.
To use what3words in an emergency:
Find the 3-word address for your location on the free what3words app for iOS and Android. It works offline – ideal for areas with unreliable data connection.
Share your 3-word address over the phone to the call handler.
The emergency service can then coordinate a response directly to the exact location.
Always gather as much location information as you can in an emergency in case 3-word addresses aren’t accepted.
You can download the what3words app from Google Play and Apple and there’s a short YouTube video that explains how to use it.
