Find practical resources and downloadable guides to support key areas of flock management, including biosecurity, lambing, shearing, emergency preparedness, and more. These tools are designed to help you handle everyday tasks and challenges with confidence.
Sheep Health Resources
Importance of Health Management
Unhealthy animals produce fewer lambs and cost more to maintain. By taking a proactive approach to flock health, producers can improve productivity and keep more money in their pockets—instead of spending it on problem animals.
Alberta Lamb Producers offer resources to support basic flock health and management decisions. We also strongly encourage producers to maintain a Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) to help diagnose specific concerns and establish a comprehensive flock health program.
Sheep Health Manuals
These manuals provide information on setting up flock health programs and details on specific sheep diseases. To find information on limiting the introduction and spread of diseases on your farm, visit our Management to access Biosecurity information. Remember, you can always use the ‘Search’ option on the website to find information on specific topics or diseases.
Access Sheep Health Manuals:
- Feedlot Lamb Pathology Atlas: This atlas contains reference photographs of both gross pathology and histopathology (microscopic) lesions to help both veterinarians and producers identify disease conditions in lamb production.
- Sheep and Goat Management in Alberta: Health (ALP Management Module): This module gives a thorough overview of the importance of controlling disease, how diseases are spread, preventative measures and information about specific diseases.
- The Western Canadian Flock Health Program (WCFHP): Although the WCFHP is not currently running as an organized program, the program binder remains a valuable source of information on sheep health.
Information on Specific Diseases
Mastitis in Ewes (ALP fact sheet)
Mastitis is a common issue during lambing and a leading cause of ewe culling. It can vary in severity and appear in different forms. Effective ewe management is key to minimizing losses associated with this condition.
Cache Valley Virus
Transmitted by insects, Cache Valley Virus is believed to have caused lambing losses in several Alberta flocks during 2024. As a zoonotic disease, it poses a potential risk to humans, and producers are encouraged to stay informed and take necessary precautions.
Scrapie
Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative prion disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of sheep and goats. It is a
reportable disease in Canada.
Malignant Catarrhal Fever
Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF) is an infectious disease affecting cattle, bison and deer. Sheep are typically
asymptomatic carriers but can transmit the virus.
Schmallenberg Virus
This virus has not been identified in North America, but can result in increased abortions and birth defects.
Foot Rot
Foot rot is a contagious bacterial disease, often worsened by ideal environmental conditions.
Zoonotic Diseases
Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Examples include Listeriosis, Q Fever, Campylobacteriosis, and Chlamydiosis. It is important to be aware of these risks and take appropriate preventive measures.
Parasite Control
Internal and external parasites can drain the productivity and profitability of your sheep, and increase their susceptibility to other diseases. In recent years, resistance to many veterinary products used for controlling parasites has complicated parasite management. In addition to using the materials listed below, also see the parasite section of the Health Module. Collaborating with your veterinarian to assess parasite levels through fecal exams can lead to more effective parasite management and more targeted, responsible use of treatments.
Parasite Control Resources
- Guide to Parasites in Sheep: A comprehensive guide to both internal and external parasites that Alberta producers can often be faced with.
- Sheep Parasites in Alberta: A great resource from the University of Calgary, find information on common parasites in Western Canada, how and with what to treat them and how to avoid resistance.
- Parasite Control and the Five Star Worm Plan. An extensive parasite control handbook developed by the University of Guelph. Although developed specifically using Central Canadian research, much of the information is relevant for all sheep producers.
Parasites
Taenia ovis
Taenia ovis (T. ovis) is a dog tapeworm that can infect sheep during part of its lifecycle. It can be controlled in dogs but not in sheep. Infections in sheep result in carcasses being condemned and a financial loss to producers.
Facts about T. ovis The Problem with Spots link – article by Dr. Kathy Parker on controlling T. ovis published in the April 2012 ALP N’ewesletter
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M.ovi) is a bacterium that invades the airways and lungs of domestic sheep and goats and disrupts their ability to filter out other pathogenic bacteria and/or viruses known to infect the respiratory system. While not usually of significant health concern for sheep, the bigger concern is when infected sheep come in contact with the Bighorn sheep population. M.ovi has been found to cause significant die offs when it enters wild sheep populations.
- Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae in Domestic Sheep and Goats: Significance to and Role of Alberta Producers
- Sheep M. Ovi Fencing for Producers
- M. ovi threatening domestic and wild sheep
- WeCAHN Small Ruminant Network Meeting PRODUCER Report
- Domestic and wild sheep and goats, and the risk of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae
- Awareness Webinar
- Big Horns Pneumonia December 2, 2022
- M.Ovi Testing Program
Learn With Videos
Videos on ALP’s YouTube channel, Sheep Central Alberta
Thin Ewe Syndrome: Tackling Production Limiting Diseases
Reportable Diseases
Managing animal diseases is a routine part of livestock production. While most diseases affect only a small number of animals and don’t pose a broad industry threat, it’s still essential to control them to maintain flock health and profitability. In most cases, these occurrences are not emergencies.
However, certain diseases are classified as reportable due to their high contagion risk, threat to human health, impact on trade, or because they are not currently present in Canada (e.g., foreign animal diseases).
Producers must be able to recognize the signs of reportable diseases and take immediate action. Suspected or confirmed cases must be reported without delay.
Both producers and veterinarians are legally required to report suspected or confirmed cases of federally reportable diseases to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) district veterinarian. The CFIA leads the response and coordinates disease control efforts across Canada.
For more information on reporting disease:
Information regarding Alberta’s provincially reportable and notifiable diseases is available from the Alberta Agriculture website.
The biosecurity practices you use to control everyday diseases also help protect your flock—and the broader industry—from reportable diseases.
Building a strong relationship with your veterinarian ensures care is tailored to your flock’s unique needs. In the event of a disease outbreak, this partnership can save valuable time in diagnosis and treatment.
Follow the recommendations in the National Sheep Producer Biosecurity Planning Guide to mitigate and respond to threats to flock health.
Veterinary Products for Sheep
The use of medications is under increasing scrutiny and regulatory oversight. Producers are now expected to take a more active role in planning flock health programs, maintaining a valid Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR), and ensuring necessary medications are available when needed.
Veterinarians are also required to confirm and document that a VCPR is in place before issuing prescriptions.
Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR)
According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, a legitimate VCPR is considered to exist only if medical records of the practice contain sufficient evidence of relevant and timely interaction between the veterinarian, animal owner and animal patients.
These interactions may include, but are not limited to:
- Farm or home visits
- Clinic appointments
- Consultations
- Direct animal examinations (individual or flock)
- Laboratory reports
- Production record reviews, etc
The VCPR is supported by documented evidence that the veterinarian has undertaken the steps necessary to establish medical needs and consequently prescribes and subsequently dispenses pharmaceuticals.
The VCPR is not a signed contractual agreement but rather a working connection and interaction between veterinarian, client and specific animal patient or group of animals. The VCPR is not in and of itself an entitlement to prescribe and subsequently dispense.
Information on Specific Diseases
Many drugs are not approved for use in sheep and require a veterinary prescription to specify how the product can be used safely. Information regarding dispensing and withdrawal times for extra-label drug use is available to veterinarians from the Canadian Global Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank.
Licensed veterinarians may make requests for information through the University of Saskatchewan.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Increased Oversight
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi) are exposed to naturally occurring or human made antimicrobials. Over use and misuse of antimicrobial medications amplifies the rate of resistance. Once resistance to a drug occurs, it loses effectiveness in combating disease and infection in animals and humans. =
As of December 1, 2018 policy changes increase restrictions regarding the sale of all medically important antimicrobials (MIAs) used in food-producing animals. MIAs are designated as important for human medicine. After this date, these drugs require veterinary prescriptions and must be dispensed through a veterinarian, pharmacist or a feed mill as a mixed medicated feed.
Veterinarians are required to ensure documented evidence of a valid VCPR exists before providing a prescription. The changes include all forms of drug administration (i.e. in feed, water, injectables, implants, topical, dusting powder, intramammary, intrauterine, oral, otic). The restrictions do not affect the sale of ionophores (e.g. Monensin), as they are not used in human medicine and are not classed as MIAs.
Further information on regulatory changes to veterinary drug use, importation and distribution is available on the Health Canada website.
Finding a Veterinarian
ALP maintains a list of veterinarians who have expressed a particular interest in working with small ruminant species and in receiving regular communications from Alberta Lamb Producers.
List of veterinary clinics
The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) maintains a searchable database of licensed veterinarians in Alberta.
- Visit the ABVMA website
Download the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association Prescribing and Dispensing Handbook, 2nd edition. This handbook gives a detailed description of the practices veterinarians must follow when prescribing and dispensing medication.