Sheep farmers warned of seasonal illness outbreaks

SHEEP farmers should be prepared for outbreaks of “maggoting” as soon as temperatures rise around the country, following the recent unseasonably cool periods of weather, warns Saul Harvey, Veterinary Surgeon, Novartis Animal Health.

Mr Harvey said that several reports of “maggoting” on sheep have come in from farms, especially in the southern and western counties of Ireland.

“The blowfly season is late this year because of the cooler temperatures, and any farmer who hasn’t treated his flock by now should do so immediately. It will take only a slight rise in temperature for strikes to occur all over the country,” said Mr Harvey.