Shetland Animal Health Scheme

International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.  The United Nations has declared that 2026 will be the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to  reveal the contributions of rangelands to the environment, food security and the wider economy, break myths and misunderstandings about rangelands and pastoralists and fill knowledge gaps to promote informed global policy making. 

As the Shetland Animal Health Scheme aims to protect and improve sheep and cattle health in Shetland, we are very happy to be supporting this international year.

We are planning to hold a photo exhibition at the SLMG Marts café in the autumn. We will be working with the IYRP support group to display a series of photos showing the lives and livestock of pastoralists from all around the world including Shetland.  If you have any photos you’d like to put forward.  Particularly of situations unique to island crofting please send them in to the animal health scheme at lucia.malcolmson@shetland.gov.uk

Look out for the SAHS Rangelands and Pastoralists photo exhibition: Coming Autumn 2026

Climate Change and the effect on Disease Patterns

Recently we have been looking into a number of parasites and diseases that we previously haven’t had to worry about.  Haemonchus contortus, Bluetongue and Schmallenberg all seem to be continuously working their way north towards Shetland.  We can’t be sure if these diseases could be sustained and spread in Shetland, but that is not a risk we are willing to rule out.  Last year we saw increased public reports that ticks were being found in Shetland.  We have been encouraging folk to send off these ticks for identification as well as looking into the disease risks they carry particularly to Shetlands flock as a naïve population. 

Haemonchus Contortus: The Barber’s pole worm

The quarantine drenches for imported sheep carried out at the pier through the Shetland Animal Health Schemes are an effective tool for preventing haemonchus from becoming established on Shetland farms and crofts.

Haemonchus used to be considered a parasite restricted to the south of England.  However now with climate change these long- established patterns are changing and in the last couple of years haemonchus infections have been identified in several flocks in Aberdeenshire and it is thought that the parasite is now widespread across the UK.

Haemonchus is different from the other worms that farmers and crofters are accustomed to managing in their flocks.  It doesn’t cause scour and can affect adult sheep as well as lambs.  Because the worms are sucking blood from the sheep very heavy infections can cause sudden deaths which tend to occur after gathering or moving, in these cases death can be so sudden that sheep remain in good condition.  Lower levels of infection that last longer can cause pale eye membranes, bottle jaw, fast breathing and heart rate and ill thrift.  These symptoms can look very similar to liver fluke infection.  We have had a single case of haemonchus in Shetland, identified in a group of imported animals whilst still in isolation housing.  This demonstrates that the level of risk for importing this parasite to Shetland is now high.

If you have any suspicions of haemonchus in your sheep, please immediately get in contact with the Shetland Vets. 

Ticks

The Shetland Animal Health Scheme has been working with the Shetland Vets and Environmental Health Team to promote tick awareness in Shetland.  Last year the vet practice sent off ticks to a lab to be identified - 4 ticks were identified as being Ixodes Ricinus or the sheep tick. This is the type of tick that can spread diseases in animals such as louping ill or red water fever and also Lyme disease in humans. Historically ticks have not been a problem Shetland farmers and crofters have had to deal with.   

The most likely explanation is that the climate in Shetland is changing sufficiently to enable tick survival over the winter and so we are starting to see more ticks on the ground through the Shetland summer.    Many animals coming into Shetland can bring ticks including humans, livestock, pets, and seabirds.  Sheep treated for sheep scab by plunge dipping will not be bringing in ticks as the products used will also treat for ticks.    If you find any ticks on pets or livestock, they can be brought to the Shetland Vets to be sent off for identification.  It is also a good idea in the high-risk months to take steps to avoid you or your family being bitten by ticks, keep a tick removal device in the house and learn how to use it and be aware of the signs of Lyme disease.  If you are heading to the mainland over the summer with dogs and likely to be in tick areas, discuss preventative treatments with your vet before travel.  Be tick aware! 

SAHS Lice Advice

During the public outreach for the Sheep Scab Regulations Consultation the SAHS was made aware that farmers and crofters in Shetland had been noticing increasing problems with lice in their sheep.  This information note details veterinary advice for reducing the number of lice in your flock. 

• The best time to treat for lice in sheep is just after clipping.  Clipping the sheep can reduce the lice populations by up to 50%. 
• Shearing also helps to ensure pour on products can penetrate the fleece making sure your lice treatment is effective. 
• Pour on lice treatments can last for up to 6 weeks.   
• Neighbours which share fences could also pose risk of infection should non-infected sheep be moved next to untreated sheep.
• Dipping with an OP dip is also a suitable treatment for lice.  This is the common treatment used on mainland UK due to the high incidence of sheep scab and the ability to control lice while treating for sheep scab. 
• Sheep scab is on the rise on the UK mainland, Shetland is currently free from sheep scab but these two conditions can present in the same way.  By treating for lice in the Shetland flock it means mainland buyers of Shetland stock can be reassured that sheep they are buying are not effected by lice or scab. 

Speak to your local vet for further advice about treating for lice

Survey

Have your say on animal health research priorities for 2027-2032

The Shetland Animal Health Scheme has been provided with an exciting opportunity to feed into the animal health research priorities of the Moredun Foundation for the coming 5 years.  

To take part, complete this short survey (estimated 2mins) :- https://forms.office.com/e/UX6ZQ7jbBT

This survey will be open until Friday the 1st of August 2025

Health Investigations

The SAHS has funding through the OPA Project to run Health Investigations for sick sheep this winter.  These fully funded places may include a vet visit, samples and testing, and a lung scan.  These tests are up to the veterinary surgeon and will decided on a case by case basis. 

We aim to find out more about the diseases present in Shetland’s sheep and help to identify any actions may be taken to increase flock health.  We are interested in all different types of sheep being included in these health investigations not just imported sheep.

There is limited funding and spaces are only available until the 31st of December 2024. 

We also have funding for sheep post mortems for any fallen stock. 

Karis Johnson, Veterinary Surgeon with Shetland Vets, says: “Although the Shetland Animal Health Scheme (SAHS) does a great job of trying to prevent the introduction of ovine diseases to Shetland, it is essential we all remain vigilant and monitor the health of our flocks.  As the SAHS has managed to secure funding to help with investigations of poorly sheep this is a great time to look into any concerns you may have.  Please contact the vets to see if we can help you.”

Moredun Visit - August 2024 

Researchers from the Moredun institute visited in August 2024.  ore information about the visit can be found in the right hand page. 

Sheep Scab Regulations

The Shetland Animal Health Scheme has been working to change the Sheep Scab Regulations to make the method of treatment more flexible.  This Regulation change was approved by the Scottish Government and was implemented on the 1st of July 2024.  These changes mean that now the Shetland Vets can now delegate treatment to a contractor instead of carrying it out themselves.  This helps us to make plunge dipping the treatment for sheep scab on entry to Shetland. 

We would like to thank all of the Shetland Farmers and Crofters who supported the changes to the Sheep Scab Regulations particularly through the consultation stage.  Without such high levels of support we wouldn't have been able to get these changes through the Scottish Government so quickly. 

OPA Project

The Shetland Animal Health Scheme had Phil Scott Visit on the 1st and 2nd of July.  Phil accompanied the Shetland Vets on their routine flock testing, focussing on flock holders with large numbers of imported rams.  These flocks had their rams scanned for OPA.  Some of these will have previously been scanned in September at Phil’s last visit.  Phil’s visits continue to build local capacity for lung scanning in Shetland.  Phil also held a scanning demonstration at Gremista Farm for the young farmers.  He was very impressed by the enthusiasm of the group. 

Lung scanning is a great additional test to use on your livestock particularly if you are concerned about their respiratory health. 

OPA Post Mortem Funding

The SAHS has funding for sheep post mortems through the OPA Project.  This funding covers the collection of samples for OPA and the vets visit.  This can greatly reduce the costs of getting a post mortem for your animals.  Getting a post mortem can tell you the cause of death for your animals and help you identify any problems in your flock quickly.  To get a post mortem please get in contact with your local veterinary surgeon. 

SAHS at the Highland Show

We would like to thank the Moredun Institute for inviting Hilary to accompany them to the Highland Show, it was great to hear from Scottish farmers from all over the country about their experience with sheep scab as well.