Private

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
information collection is 0579-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2.5
hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and
complete and review the information collected.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
VETERINARY SERVICES
NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM
2150 CENTRE AVE, BLDG B
FORT COLLINS, CO 80526

OMB Approved
0579-XXXX
EXP: XX/20XX

NAHMS Sheep 2024 Study –
Enteric Microbe Individual Sample
Collection Record

Supplies sent to Coordinators: Lubricant
Kit contents:

25 small Whirl-pak® bags, 25 polystyrene tubes, 2 gallon sized Ziploc® bags, 2 ice packs, 1 liner bag, 1 large
insulated cooler, and paperwork that includes instructions, submission form, duplicate labels, and 1 FedEx
airbill addressed to NCSU in Raleigh, NC. You will need to provide your own gloves. Clean gloves are needed
for each animal.

Collection Instructions

Collect fecal samples Sunday-Wednesday. Collect duplicate fecal samples from 5 sheep from each of the
following sheep types: pregnant ewes, nursing ewes, preweaned lambs, weaned lambs, and open ewes. If one
sheep type is not present on the operation, collect extra samples from the highest priority sheep type, to up to
10 sheep. The sample priority order is pregnant ewes, nursing ewes, preweaned lambs, weaned lambs,
and open ewes.
Fresh samples are a must. Collect from the rectum or immediately off the ground while samples are still
warm. Rectal retrieval might not be possible on some sheep (e.g. preweaned lambs).
Collect AT LEAST 10 fecal pellets from each animal. For each animal, place 5 fecal pellets into one Whirlpak® bag and 5 fecal pellets in a polystyrene tube. On the duplicate labels provided, write the sheep’s name or
ID and attach the labels onto the bag and tube for each sheep. Make sure you label the tubes with the correct
sample numbers and IDs.
Close the labeled Whirl-pak® and tubes for each animal and divide them into 2 Ziploc® bags.
Place your Whirl-pak® bag samples into one gallon sized Ziploc® bag labeled NCSU and the second tube
sample in a second gallon sized Ziploc® bag labeled ISU. Once all labeled samples are placed into the
Ziplocs®, secure the Ziploc® bags closed. Place both gallon sized Ziploc® bags into 1 liner bag. Cool down
samples with ice packs, but do not freeze the samples. If necessary, replace ice packs with frozen ones before
shipping.

RECTAL RETRIEVAL
To avoid contamination from common organisms on the ground, rectal retrieval is best. Rectal retrieval
might not be possible on some sheep (e.g. preweaned lambs), and fresh off the ground samples are
acceptable.

1. Apply lubricating
jelly to the glove
before entering
the rectum.
 Lightly stroking the
rectum might
encourage
defecation.

2. Collect
duplicate
samples.
 Retrieve a
minimum of 10
pellets per
animal (5 pellets
for one Whirlpak® bag and 5
pellets for the
tube).

3. On each label, write the sheep’s name or ID and attach them on to a Whirl-pak® bag and a tube.
Place the labeled Whirl-pak® and tube inside separate gallon sized Ziploc® bags.
4. Continue collecting samples from other sheep using a clean glove for each animal.

Collection Record
Fill out the pink submission form and the digital collection record.
Use the QR code or the URL below to access the Enteric Microbe Digital Collection Record.

Shipping Instructions
Ship on Sunday-Wednesday. Keep samples cool and ship within 24 hours of collection. Wednesday
collections must be shipped the same day. Do not collect or ship samples Thursday through Saturday.
Place all the samples in the liner bag and tie shut. Place an ice pack on the top and bottom of the samples.
Add filler to box if necessary. Close the insulated cooler box.
Place the filled out pink submission form on top of the cooler lid and seal the cardboard box.
Secure the box and ship to NCSU in Raleigh, North Carolina, within 24 hours. Ship only MondayWednesday.

Enteric Microbe Collection Record
NAHMS ID

Primary collector:

Date:

6 digits

Name and phone number

eid

e101

e102

e103m/e103y

ename/eph

e104

1. Sample #

4. Sheep
Type

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

2. Sheep name
or ID

3. Age
(months
or years)

___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr

1= pregnant
ewe
2=nursing
ewe
3=preweaned
lamb
4=weaned
lamb
5=open ewe

e105

e106a-d

6. Sheep housing

5. IF sheep
type =1 or 2,
provide date
lambed or
expected
date to lamb
(mm/dd/yy)

1= housed in individual
pens
2=housed with other
sheep of same type
(column 4)
3=housed with other
sheep types (column 4)
4=housed with other
livestock (specify
livestock)
[List all that apply]

e107a-e/107oth

7. Condition(s)
in past
30 days
1=diarrhea
2=fever
3=respiratory
infection
4=thin
5=other (specify)
[List all that
apply]

(mm/dd/yy)

Enteric Kit # on
labels:

edate

e108

8. Did this animal
receive individual
antimicrobial
therapy in the last
30 days?
(Yes/No)
[If No, SKIP
column 9]

ekit

e109a-e/109otha-othe

9. Which
individual
antibiotic(s) were
given in the last
30 days?
[See reference card
and enter code]

1. Sample #

4. Sheep
Type

11
12
13
14
15

16
17
18
19
20

2. Sheep name
or ID

3. Age
(months
or years)

___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr

1= pregnant
ewe
2=nursing
ewe
3=preweaned
lamb
4=weaned
lamb
5=open ewe

6. Sheep housing

5. IF sheep
type =1 or 2,
provide date
lambed or
expected
date to lamb.
(mm/dd/yy)

1= housed in individual
pens
2=housed with other
sheep of same type
(column 4)
3=housed with other
sheep types (column 4)
4=housed with other
livestock (specify
livestock)
[List all that apply]

7. Condition(s)
in past
30 days
1=diarrhea
2=fever
3=respiratory
infection
4=thin
5=other (specify)
[List all that
apply]

8. Did this animal
receive individual
antimicrobial
therapy in the last
30 days?
(Yes/No)
[If No, SKIP
column 9]

9. Which
individual
antibiotic(s) were
given in the last
30 days?
[See reference card
and enter code]

1. Sample #

4. Sheep
Type

2. Sheep name
or ID

(months
or years)

___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr
___ mo
OR
___ yr

21
22
23
24
25

Were samples:

3. Age

1= pregnant
ewe
2=nursing
ewe
3=preweaned
lamb
4=weaned
lamb
5=open ewe

1 stored overnight

OR

6. Sheep housing

5. IF sheep
type =1 or 2,
provide date
lambded or
expected
date to lamb.
(mm/dd/yy)

1= housed in individual
pens
2=housed with other
sheep of same type
(column 4)
3=housed with other
sheep types (column 4)
4=housed with other
livestock (specify
livestock)
[List all that apply]

7. Condition(s)
in past
30 days
1=diarrhea
2=fever
3=respiratory
infection
4=thin
5=other (specify)
[List all that
apply]

8. Did this animal
receive individual
antimicrobial
therapy in the last
30 days?
(Yes/No)
[If No, SKIP
column 9.]

9. Which
individual
antibiotic(s) were
given in the last
30 days?
[See reference card
and enter code]

2 shipped the same day as collected? estore

How many people in each category helped with the collection of the individual fecal samples?
_____ Fed VMO evmo

_____ Fed AHT eaht

Total sample time _______ hours ehr

_____ State government estate

_____ Producer eprod

_____Other, specify eoth/eothsp:

NAHMS Sheep 2024
Enteric Microbe Submission Form
NAHMS ID:
6 digits

1. Number of fecal samples?

Date:

Kit #:

mm/dd/yy

Printed on labels

_________________________
0-25