VS Initial Visit Questionnaire Aide

NAHMS Sheep 2024 Study

Cheat Sheet for VS Questionnaire

This sheet contains a select list of information covered in the VS Questionnaire. It will be helpful for the participant to have sufficient knowledge of, or access to, records for these items when answering specific questions. This document can be used to jot down records ahead of time to review while completing the questionnaire.

Section A- Inventory

• Total number of ewes 1 year and older on the operation today

TOTAL:__________ewes

• Of those total ewes, the number of ewes between 1 and 2 years of age: ________ewes

• Maximum number of the follow age classes during 2023 (Sheep may be counted in more than one class, for example lambs may be counted in both preweaned and weaned classes)

Age Class	Head
Ewes 1 year and older
Rams 1 year and older
Preweaned lambs
Weaned lambs
Wethers

Section B- Breeding Management

• For the most recently completed lambing season (meaning all lambs have been born), number of ewes bred by method and their outcome.

Breeding Method	Number of ewes		Outcome	Number of ewes
Naturally by this operation’s ram			Gave birth (lambs born dead or alive)
Naturally by another operation’s ram			Aborted (known abortion)
By artificial insemination (AI)			Never became pregnant
By embryo transfer (ET)			Died or removed prior to lambing
Added to the operation already bred
Total (number of ewes bred)			Total (should be equal to number bred)

• The number of replacement ewes and rams for 2023 by acquisition method

Acquisition method	Number of ewes	Number of rams
Born and raised on the operation
Acquired elsewhere
TOTAL

Section C- Lambing Management

• For ewes that gave birth during the most recently completed lambing season (reported above), number of lambs by birthing outcome

Birthing Outcome	Head
Born alive
Born dead (stillborn)
Total

• For the number of ewes that gave birth during the most recently completed lambing season, number of ewes that lambed in the following environments

Lambing environment	Number of ewes
Individual lambing pens/jugs
Barn or shed
Special lambing pasture that allows for increased observation
Other fenced pasture
Open range
Dry lot
Other (Specify)
Total (should equal the number of ewes reported above with full-term births)

Section D- Lamb Crop Management

• Number of lambs born during 2023 by birthing outcome

Birthing Outcome	Head
Born alive
Born dead (stillborn)
Total

• Of the total live lambs reported above, number weaned: ___________head

• Of the total live lambs reported above, number docked: ___________head

• During 2023, number of lambs born dead or alive (total reported above) by month born

Month born	Number of lambs
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
TOTAL (should equal total reported above)

• Number of lambs by colostrum and milk feeding methods

Feeding method for Colostrum	Number of lambs	Feeding method for Milk	Number of lambs
Hand feeding only- lamb did not nurse mother and was hand fed by another method		Hand feeding only- milk or milk replacer from other sources
Both nursed the ewe and hand fed		Both nursed the ewe and given milk or milk replacer
Nurse the ewe only		Nurse the ewe only
Total (should equal lambs born alive)		Total (should equal lambs born alive)

Section E- Culling Management

• Number of ewes culled during 2023 and average age: _________ewes _____ average age

• Number of rams culled during 2023 and average age: _________rams _______average age

Section G- Sheep Health Management

• Number of sheep tested for OPP during 2023: _______head

  • Of those sheep tested, number that were seropositive: _________head

• Number of sheep with sore mouth during 2023: ________head

  • Of those sheep with sore mouth, number that died: _____head

• Number of sheep with abscesses, boils, or lumps during 2023: ________head

• Vaccines administered during 2023 (may be helpful to have labels available)

Section H- Parasite Control

• Number of fecal tests performed during 2023 to test for GI parasites

Test Method	Number of tests completed
Fecal flotation
Fecal egg count
Fecal egg count reduction test
Drenchrite
Other

• Percentage of lambs and sheep that were dewormed during 2023:

Deworming frequency	Percentage of lambs	Percentage of sheep
Not dewormed
Dewormed once
Dewormed twice
Dewormed three or more times

• During 2023, the total amount of money spent on deworming products (pharmaceutical and natural/alternatives) administered to sheep on your operation: $______________

Section I- Lameness

• During 2023, number of lame sheep by age class and cause

Cause	Number of lambs	Number of ewes	Number of rams
Foot scald
Foot rot
Contagious ovine digital dermatitis
Foot abscess
Shelly hoof/ white line disease
Granuloma
Injuries
Septic arthritis
Swollen joints/ joint ill
Other (specify)

• During 2023, the number of vet visits to diagnose or treat lameness: _____________#

• Treatment of all of the lame sheep reported above by treatment method

Treatment	Number of sheep
Mild foot trimming, where excess horn only was removed
Extensive foot trimming, where hoof horn was cut back until bleeding
An antibiotic spray (oxytetracycline) directly onto the hoof
A copper treatment directly onto the hoof (Coppertox)
A wound spray/antiseptic spray (silver spray, Blue Kote, Alushield, etc.)
A footbath (copper sulphate, zinc sulphate, or formalin solution)
An injectable antibiotic (tilmicosin, gamithromycin or oxytetracycline)
An antibiotic in the feed or water
Other (specify)
No treatment given

Section J- Antimicrobial Use in the Feed and Water

• During 2023, the number of animals treated and the number of days sheep were treated with antibiotics in the water (It may be helpful to have the label on hand).

  • Lambs

    • Respiratory disease: _____# lambs, ________# days

    • Digestive disease: ___# lambs, ________# days

    • Other (specify): ___# lambs, ________# days

  • Adults

    • Respiratory disease: _____# sheep, ________# days

    • Digestive disease: ______# sheep, ________# days

    • Abortion: ______# sheep, ________# days

    • Other (specify): ___# sheep, ________# days

• During 2023, the number of animals treated and the number of days sheep were treated with antibiotics in the feed (It may be helpful to have the label on hand).

  • Lambs

    • Respiratory disease: _____# lambs, ________# days

    • Digestive disease: ___# lambs, ________# days

    • Other (specify): ___# lambs, ________# days

  • Adults

    • Respiratory disease: _____# sheep, ________# days

    • Digestive disease: ______# sheep, ________# days

    • Abortion: ______# sheep, ________# days

    • Other (specify): _____# sheep, ________# days

Section K- Health Conditions and Losses

• Total number of preweaned lambs that became ill from any disease during 2023:_________#

• Total number of preweaned lambs that were treated with any antibiotics during 2023:________#

• Of the total preweaned lambs that became ill during 2023, record the number sick, treated, died, and sold:

Illness	Number sick	Number treated	Number died	Number sold
Digestive issues
Navel infection
Perinatal Conditions
Pink eye
Respiratory problems
Lameness
Weather related issues/starvation
Other known conditions
Unknown conditions

• Total number of preweaned lambs that died from the following:

• Lost or stolen: ___________#

• Died or were euthanized from predators:___________#

• Total number of weaned lambs that became ill from any disease during 2023:_________#

• Total number of weaned lambs that were treated with any antibiotics during 2023:________#

• Of the total weaned lambs that became ill during 2023, record number sick, treated, died, and sold

Illness	Number sick	Number treated	Number died	Number sold
Intestinal worms
Digestive issues
Pink eye
Respiratory problems
Lameness due to foot rot/scald
Other lameness
Central nervous system signs
Weather related issues/starvation
Other known conditions
Unknown conditions

• Total number of weaned lambs that died from the following:

  • Lost or stolen: ___________#

  • Died or were euthanized from predators:___________#

• Total number of ewes that became ill from any disease during 2023:_________#

• Total number of ewes that were treated with any antibiotics during 2023:________#

• Of the total ewes that became ill during 2023, record the number sick, treated, died, and sold:

Illness	Number sick	Number treated	Number died	Number sold
Intestinal worms
Digestive issues
Pink eye
Respiratory problems
Abortions
Other reproductive problems
Mastitis
Metabolic problems
Lameness due to foot rot/scald
Other lameness
Central nervous system signs
Weather related issues/starvation
Chronic weight loss
Other known conditions
Unknown conditions

• Total number of ewes that died from the following:

• Lost or stolen: ___________#

• Died or were euthanized from predators:___________#

• Total number of rams that became ill from any disease during 2023:_________#

• Total number of rams that were treated with any antibiotics during 2023:________#

• Of the total rams that became ill during 2023, record the number sick, treated, died, and sold:

Illness	Number sick	Number treated	Number Died	Number Sold
Intestinal worms
Digestive issues
Pink eye
Respiratory problems
Reproductive problems
Lameness due to foot rot/scald
Other lameness
Central nervous system signs
Weather related issues/starvation
Chronic weight loss
Other known conditions
Unknown conditions

• Total number of rams that died from the following:

  • Lost or stolen: ___________#

  • Died or were euthanized from predators:___________#