Getting to Grips with Scab: Quarantine essentials for sheep scab control

摘要

Sheep scab, or psoroptic mange, is an allergic skin condition caused by infestation of the skin surface with the scab mite. Sheep scab has been identified as one of the five most important diseases for sheep farmers from both financial and welfare perspectives and is considered to be the most contagious endemic ectoparasitic disease of sheep in the UK, costing the industry in excess of 8m per year, including costs associated with lost performance, preventative measures and treatment. The economic losses associated with lost performance are the result of ewe condition, lamb growth rate, reduced quality of sheepskins and wool damage. Untreated infestations of sheep scab can, in some cases, be fatal. Sheep scab used to be thought of as a disease of autumn and winter, and although the majority of outbreaks still occur between September and March, it is now however common throughout the year.