Advice on testing sheep scab after common grazing

摘要

A North Yorkshire farmer who grazes his sheep on common land has spoken out about the benefits of testing for scab and the importance of breaking the stigma related to the condition.John Dawson, from Bleak Bank, Settle, is working with other farmers grazing the l,416ha (3,500 acres) Ingleborough Common, Craven, which at its peak is home to 1,800 ewes, to manage the costly condition.For the past two years, 12 ewes from each flock have been tested using the blood Elisa test, which detects antibodies in sheep exposed to scab in the past six months.