Effect of mulesing and shearing on the prevalence of effect of mulesing and shearing on the prevalence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae arthritis in lambs.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of management practices and environment on the prevalence of arthritis in lambs.


METHODS
A case-control study was conducted on groups of lambs from 122 Western Australian sheep flocks.


METHODS
Arthritis was diagnosed by visual assessment of lambs at abattoirs by qualified meat inspectors. The prevalence was estimated from data collected from producers on culling practices for arthritis. Data on management practices and environmental variables were collected by personal interview. Stepwise logistic regression was used to measure the effects of the most important factors on the prevalence of arthritis.


RESULTS
Mulesing and shearing lambs increased the odds of high prevalence of arthritis by 7 (95% CI 1.9 - 25.6) and 4.3 (95% CI 0.9 - 19.6) times, respectively compared to unmarked and unshorn lambs. Lambs slaughtered between December and June had 3.7 (95% CI 0.8 - 16.6) times greater odds of having a high prevalence of arthritis than lambs slaughtered in the remainder of the year.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that, to decrease the risk of high prevalence of arthritis, lambs raised for meat production should not be mulesed or shorn. Recommended improvements to hygiene at mulesing such as the use of portable yards had little effect on the prevalence of arthritis.
Paton
M W
MW
Avon Districts Agriculture Centre, PO Box 483, Northam, Western Australia 6401.
Rose
I R
IR
Sunderman
F M
FM
Martin
M Holm
MH
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004888:Erysipelothrix; D004889:Erysipelothrix Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology