Sheep Health Monitoring During Winter Drought – Pleurisy & Pneumonia

As winter sets in across much of Australia, producers and processors alike face an increase in respiratory conditions detected during post-mortem inspection, particularly pleurisy and pneumonia. These conditions, monitored nationally through the National Sheep Health Monitoring Project (NSHMP), are more than just a health concern for individual animals. They carry significant implications for the productivity, sustainability, and efficiency of the entire sheep meat supply chain.

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the lung lining (pleura), often caused by infection, environmental stress, or injury. Pneumonia, on the other hand, is an infection of the lung tissue itself. Both conditions are often found together and are common findings at abattoirs during colder months.

Several factors contribute to a spike in respiratory disease during winter drought:

Cold and Dusty Conditions: Drought reduces ground cover, creating dusty environments that irritate the respiratory tract and increase susceptibility to infection.

Poor Nutrition: Limited feed availability and reduced pasture quality lead to lower immune function, making sheep more vulnerable to disease.

Close Confinement: During feed shortages, animals are often brought into confined areas for supplementary feeding, increasing the risk of transmission.

Stress: Sudden weather changes and feed transitions are added stressors that can tip already compromised animals into illness.

The impacts of pleurisy and pneumonia go beyond animal health:

Trim and Condemnations: Affected lungs and surrounding tissues must be trimmed or condemned during processing, leading to offal losses and increased processing time.

Reduced Carcass Value: Ongoing or severe infections can affect overall animal condition and carcass yield.

Food Waste: Condemned organs and affected meat contribute to unnecessary waste within the supply chain.

Data Traceability: Conditions like these are reportable under the NSHMP and provide valuable feedback to producers.

By consistently capturing and sharing disease data with producers, we can close the loop between on-farm management and processing plant outcomes.

With respiratory conditions like pleurisy and pneumonia expected to persist throughout winter, it’s crucial that all parts of the supply chain from farm to processor remain alert. Early intervention, sound animal husbandry, and feedback systems like the NSHMP will help reduce the incidence and impact of these conditions, supporting a more sustainable and profitable sheep meat industry for all.