Effects of tail amputation and treatment with an albendazole controlled-release capsule on the health and productivity of prime lambs

Objective To assess the effects of tail amputation an treatment with albendazole controlled‐release capsule (CRC on the health and productivity of prime lambs. Design Field trials on three farms. Animals About 551 Coopworth‐Poll Dorset cross, 588 Bord Leicester‐Merino‐Poll Dorset cross and 575 Corriedale‐Po Dorset cross lambs. Procedure On three farms, lambs with amputated tail were compared with an equal number of lambs with tails le entire. In both of these groups half the lambs were treate with an albendazole CRC 13 weeks after the start of lambin Faecal soiling of the breech and flystrike of the breech wer recorded. Lambs were weighed and body condition scored each visit and carcase weights and fat score of each lamb slaughter. Procedures on the slaughter chain were monitore to determine whether the retention of the tail caused an problems. Results There were no observed benefits of treatme with an albendazole CRC on the farms in the study. Ther was no strong evidence that tail amputation had any long term effect on the growth rate of lambs or carcase traits. N detrimental effects were observed during processing of lamb with long tails in the abattoir. Lambs with entire tails ha significantly greater mean dag scores than lambs wit amputated tails. On one farm lambs with entire tails were about twice the risk of requiring crutching and on another far were at three times the risk of breech strike compared wit lambs with amputated tails. Conclusion This study provides evidence that amputatin the tail is not an absolute requirement to maintain the healt and welfare of prime lambs, but leaving the tail of prime lamb entire is likely to increase chemical usage to control flystrik and to increase the frequency of crutching.