Veterinary Services

• Many outbreaks of pneumonia and upper respiratory disease due to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) investigated.
• Outbreaks of subacute and chronic fascioliasis in sheep
• Mass mortality of auks, mostly razorbills and guillemots off the Ayrshire coast

The winter in Scotland continued to be warm and wet in January. Frosts were infrequent. This was the joint fourth warmest January on record and the warmest since 1989 which was the warmest on record. Rainfall was 151 per cent of the 1961 to 1990 averages.

SEERAD reported that net farm incomes fell by 27 per cent from £13,800 in 2004/05 to £10,100 in 2005/06. The cereal sector showed an increase while all livestock sectors showed decreases. Less favoured area, specialist sheep and lowground cattle and sheep showed decreases of 53 and 54 per cent.

Pregnant women were advised to avoid close contact with sheep during the lambing season by Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer. This advice was because of the risk to the health to their unborn child from infections such as enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE). The Sheep Scab Industry Working Group met to develop new initiatives to reduce the incidence of sheep scab in Scotland. This group, which includes a representative from SAC, seeks to build on the willingness of the sheep industry and veterinary profession to work in partnership with Government to tackle this problem.