MONSOON MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP
C.Jayanthy1, H. Vijayakumar2, M. Saravanan3, N. Parveez Khan4, S. Nandhini5 and A. Partiban6
Department of Veterinary Medicine,
Veterinary College & Research Institute, Theni 625 534.
Tamil Nadu, India
1Corresponding author: C. Jayanthy, Associate Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine, VC & RI, Theni.
E – mail: vet_jayanthy@yahoo.com
2, 3 Associate Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine, VC & RI, Theni
4, 5, 6 Final year B. V. Sc. & A. H., VC & RI, Theni
Introduction
The Northeast Monsoon generally occurs from October to December, with its normal onset occurring around the third week of October. It is the major rainy season of Tamil Nadu and contributes nearly 48% of the state’s annual rainfall. Apart from Tamil Nadu, it is also important source of rainfall for Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Puducherry, Kerala and parts of Karnataka. It also poses flood risk in vulnerable regions of South India. Hence, marginal farmers rearing sheep in backyards should be prepared to face the same to reduce the risk of losing their valuable sheep to monsoon.
The monsoon provides abundant green fodder and water; however, increased rainfall, humidity and soil moisture can favour parasitic infections, infectious diseases, foot problems and ectoparasite multiplication. Wet and contaminated environments can increase exposure to infective stages of parasites, while poor drainage and damp housing favour disease transmission. Therefore, proper housing, grazing, feeding, watering, vaccination and parasite control are essential during this period.
Housing Management
Sheep sheds should be kept clean, dry and well ventilated, with adequate drainage to prevent water stagnation. Elevated or suitable flooring can help to keep animals away from wet ground.
The roof should be inspected and repaired before the onset of the monsoon to prevent rainwater from entering the shed. Wet bedding should be removed promptly and replaced with dry material. In deep-litter systems, excessive wetting of litter should be avoided because it can favours ammonia accumulation and poor shed hygiene.
Adequate ventilation should be maintained while avoiding direct exposure to cold rain and strong draughts. The shed and surrounding area should be kept free from stagnant water, manure and other organic waste.
Grazing and Parasite Management
Good grazing management is essential during the rainy season because pasture-borne parasitic infections can increase under favourable moisture conditions. Grazing in marshy, waterlogged or heavily contaminated areas should be avoided.
Rotational grazing should be practised wherever possible. Moving animals between pasture sections reduces continuous exposure to infective stages and helps maintain pasture quality.
Deworming should not be performed blindly at fixed intervals. It should be based on the local parasite situation, clinical signs, dung examination and veterinary advice, because indiscriminate use of anthelmintics can contribute to anthelmintic resistance.
Special attention should be given to lambs, young animals and weak animals, which are more vulnerable to parasitic disease. Trematode control is particularly important in areas where amphistome or other fluke infections are prevalent. Stagnant water logged areas should be avoided for grazing and anti-snail treatment should be undertaken around these areas if any.
Vaccination
Vaccination should be planned according to the local disease prevalence, government vaccination programme and veterinary advice. Important vaccines for sheep may include:
- Enterotoxaemia vaccination should preferably be completed before the onset of monsoon, particularly in areas where the disease is important.
- Peste des Petits Ruminants vaccination should follow the current local/State programme.
- Foot and mouth disease vaccination should be carried out according to the regional programme, generally at 6–12 month intervals depending on the vaccine/programme.
- Sheep pox vaccination is particularly important where the disease is prevalent and should follow the recommended local schedule.
- Haemorrhagic Septicaemia vaccination may be recommended in endemic/high-risk areas.
- Black Quarter and Anthrax vaccination should be considered only in endemic/high-risk areas according to the local veterinary programme.
Vaccines should be administered only to healthy animals and according to the manufacturer’s instructions and veterinarian’s recommendations. It should have been completed before the onset of monsoon to avoid stress to the sheep.
Feed and Water Management
Adequate quantities of dry fodder should be stored before the monsoon and protected from rain and moisture. Mouldy, fermented or spoiled feed should not be offered to sheep. Feeding of mouldy feed to sheep may cause death of the sheep.
The availability of abundant green fodder during the monsoon should not lead to sudden changes in the diet. Feed changes should be introduced gradually, and adequate dry fodder and mineral supplementation should be maintained.
Sheep should have continuous access to clean, safe drinking water. Water troughs should be cleaned regularly, and contamination with manure should be prevented. Where possible, animals should not be allowed to drink from stagnant or visibly contaminated water sources.
Foot Health Management
Continuous exposure to mud and wet conditions can predispose sheep to foot problems, particularly in poorly drained areas. Resting and standing areas should therefore be kept as dry as possible. The shed should be constructed to facilitate seamless drainage. Any damage to the flooring should be repaired before monsoon to avoid stagnation of rainwater in the shed.
Drainage around the shed should be maintained, and prolonged exposure to muddy or waterlogged areas should be avoided. Animals showing lameness, swelling, foul odour or lesions of the feet should be examined and treated promptly with guidance from the consulting Veterinarian.
Mosquito, Fly and Ectoparasite Control
Monsoon conditions can favour the multiplication of insects and other ectoparasites. Stagnant water should be eliminated around the shed to reduce mosquito breeding.
Fly control is also important. Manure, wet bedding, feed residues and other organic materials should be removed regularly because these can provide breeding sites for flies
Fly infestation can cause skin irritation, rubbing, scratching and wounds, resulting in stress and skin damage. In animals maintained for meat or hide production, skin damage and contamination may also reduce hide quality. The wounds on the skin may attract flies to lay eggs ending up in maggot wounds.
Ectoparasite control measures such as spraying or dipping should be undertaken only when indicated and using an appropriate veterinary-approved product at the recommended concentration. Care should be taken because some insecticides can be toxic if incorrectly used.
Attention to Lambs and Weak Animals
Lambs and weak animals require additional attention during the monsoon. Young animals should be monitored closely for diarrhoea, parasitism, respiratory signs, poor appetite, weakness and dehydration. As they will be maintained indoors feed supplement should be given as per Veterinarians recommendations.
Sick animals should be identified early and, where necessary, isolated from the flock to reduce disease transmission.
Management of Pregnant ewes and neonates
Monsoon should not deprive pregnant ewes from balanced nutritive diets. The pregnant ewes should be provided with good quality feed and water particularly during last 6 – 8 weeks of pregnancy. During this period the foetal growth is rapid and needs more nutrition. Ewe close to lambing should be moved to clean, dry, well bedded shelter protected from rain and cold winds.
The neonates should be dried immediately and kept warm and dry. The naval cord should be kept clean and dry after disinfecting. The lamb should be nursed with colostrum at the earliest preferably within 30 minutes from lambing.
Electric shock and Lightning strikes
The electrical equipments and accessories inside the shed and enroute to the shed should shock proof and attended to before the onset of monsoon. The animals should not be sent out for grazing during rain and they should not take shelter under the trees to avoid lightning strikes.
Conclusion
Effective monsoon management of sheep depends mainly on maintaining a clean and dry housing environment, proper drainage, good grazing management, appropriate vaccination and parasite control, safe feed and water, and control of flies and other ectoparasites.
Since the Northeast Monsoon occurs mainly from October to December in Tamil Nadu, preventive preparations should ideally begin before October, particularly with regard to shed maintenance, drainage, vaccination according to the local programme, fodder storage and parasite-risk assessment.
These measures help reduce the risk of parasitic and infectious diseases, foot problems and other health complications, thereby maintaining the health, productivity and economic value of sheep throughout the monsoon season.
Small and Marginal farmers maintain small flocks with limited resources. Each animal is valuable and they contribute to the family’s economy. So, minor modifications in the management practices yields great returns. The small and marginal farmers are hence advised to adopt modern hygienic scientific practices for better returns during the monsoon season.
