Table 1 Questionnaire
From: Flock health survey of Irish Texel society breeders and larynx examination in Texel sheep
Question | Response Options | Response (%) |
|---|---|---|
Flock type | Pedigree only | 24.6 |
Commercial and pedigree | 75.4 | |
Pedigree flock size | < 25 Breeding ewes | 12.3 |
25–50 Breeding ewes | 24.6 | |
> 50 Breeding ewes | 63.1 | |
Are pedigree lambs fed concentrates between 8 weeks and sale? | Yes | 93.8 |
No | 6.2 | |
If yes are they fed ad lib? | Yes | 21.3 |
No | 78.7 | |
What is the max daily feeding rate kg per day | Range 0.5 to 3–4 kg | |
Percentage of pedigree lambs sold as breeding stock annually? | ≥50% lambs | 60% |
< 50% lambs | 40% | |
Do you have an unusually high proportion of unexplained sudden deaths? | Yes | 4.6 |
No | 95.4 | |
Have you had sheep with throat problems e.g. loud harsh breathing? | Yes | 81.5 |
No | 18.5 | |
Average how many per year (% of flock) | Range from 1 to 10%. Some didn’t give % and ranged from rare to 5 sheep | |
What age most commonly affected | < 6 months | 3.8 |
6–12 months | 13.2 | |
> 1 year | 81.1 | |
Does it occur more in males than females | Yes | 17.0 |
No | 77.4 | |
Does it occur at certain times of year | Housing | 3.8 |
Breeding | 5.7 | |
Near finishing | 17.0 | |
No obvious pattern | 58.5 | |
Lambing | 1.9 | |
Do you attempt treatment? | Yes | 73.6 |
No | 26.4 | |
Is treatment successful? | Yes | 23.1 |
No | 17.95 | |
Sometimes | 58.97 | |
Have you seen this problem more frequently when you have used a particular sire? | Yes | 37.7 |
No | 47.2 | |
Unsure | 13.2 | |
Have you had poor thrive in purebred texels you can’t explain? | Yes | 18.5 |
No | 81.5 | |
Do you submit unexplained deaths to Regional Vet Lab for post mortem? | Yes | 32.8 |
No | 65.6 | |
Interested in partaking in further work to improve Texel sheep health? | Yes | 73.8 |
No | 26.2 | |