323: Lambing, colostrum management and watery mouth

In this podcast Bryony Ennis talks to specialist sheep vet Fiona Lovatt and farmer Clare Wise to get a practical take on best practice advice at lambing time to prevent watery mouth, with their top tips for managing ewes and lambs to prevent disease. They discuss nutrition, body condition and the importance of colostrum.  Speakers: Clare Wise is a 5th generation beef, sheep and arable farmer from lowland County Durham. Winner of Northern Sheep Farmer of the Year 2018, Clare has a particular interest in sheep health and welfare, especially reducing the use of anthelmintics and antibiotics on farm. A strong advocate for British farmers and promoting British Farming, Clare is an actively involved in ‘Facetime a Farmer’, connecting schools and farms together, YAS Countryside days and NFU Education.  Fiona Lovatt is a RCVS recognised Specialist in Sheep Health and Production and is the clinical lead for the RCVS Knowledge initiative Farm Vet Champions. Fiona runs Flock Health Ltd, a sheep veterinary consultancy business that works collaboratively with vets, farmers, processors, retailers and pharmaceutical companies, primarily in the UK but also further afield. As founder of the Flock Health Club concept, Fiona is passionate about enthusing farm vets to actively engage with sheep farmers through principles that embrace best practice preventative measures and responsible medicine use. Fiona is a past president of the Sheep Veterinary Society, currently chairs the UK Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group and is a member of the RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicine in Agriculture) Target Task Force.  Resources    Colostrum Is Gold Reducing lamb losses for Better Returns Responsible use of antibiotics in livestock Using medicines responsibly in livestock Watery mouth in lambs Sheep Veterinary Society guidance for vets on the control of watery mouth in lambs for 2022  Flock Health