Two of the biggest diseases of young lambs are watery mouth and joint ill.

Hygiene plays a key role in both and the importance of having a sufficient level of clean bedding at all times cannot be understated to reduce a buildup of manure which can contain bacteria such as E coli.

In fact, Teagasc research has found that 32% of all lamb mortality was caused by infection, the majority of this occurring within the first 72 hours of life.

Obviously, getting sufficient colostrum into the lamb post-lambing plays a pivotal role in providing protection but here we focus on the importance of hygiene.

Lambing pens

Individual lambing pens should ideally be cleaned out, disinfected and re-bedded after every lambing. This becomes all the more important as the lambing season progresses as there is the potential for a buildup of infection.

Lime is excellent for disinfecting pens as it neutralises the pH at which a lot of bacteria operate and also it helps dry out pens. Hydrated lime, cubical lime, or a combination of the two, can all be used successfully.

Disease-causing bacteria love warm moist conditions and so preventing moisture as much as possible will greatly aid hygiene in the lambing shed.

For this reason, do not use a powerwasher for cleaning out pens mid-lambing as this can actually spread disease by making pathogens airborne in the mist from the washer.

For the same reason, the area around water troughs in the lambing shed and lambing pens are a potential source of infection.

Where water to ewes in individual pens is done manually by bucket, ensure that ewes cannot overturn buckets and keep spillages to a minimum.

Farmer hygiene

The next biggest potential spreader of disease probably comes from the farmer as you are moving from animal to animal and perhaps from one stock type to another.

Gloves should be worn when handling ewes to prevent the introduction of infection during lambing.

While this can reduce the ability to feel the lamb when handling, placing a tight-fitting nitrile glove over the arm-length lambing glove will help to increase your ability to feel within the ewe.

Keep clothing and footwear clean at all times. Have a footbath at the doorway to the lambing shed and keep it regularly topped up with disinfectant. Get into the habit of using it every time you enter the shed and ensure any visitor if they must enter the shed, does so as well.

Lambing equipment

Keep lambing equipment clean at all times. Things like lambing aids or ropes and bottles of lubricant, taggers, tail ring applicators, etc, will move from one lambing to the next and are a potential source of infection so ensure they are kept clean. This is especially important on farms that have had issues with joint ill in the past.