Hygiene at lambing or calving time is key to reducing infection and losses. As an industry, we’ve worked hard to move away from blanket antibiotic use, and now good hygiene is where additional gains will be seen.
Good hygiene at lambing or calving can be split into four main categories:
- Colostrum hygiene & quality
- Navel hygiene
- Equipment hygiene
- Pen hygiene
We will focus on new advances in navel hygiene.
Until now best practice has been to apply ‘strong iodine’ to the umbilicus, and sometimes ear-tagging sites. Dipping (using a non-return dip cup) offers the best coverage of the navel. The aim is to provide desiccation of the umbilicus and disinfection of the surface.
However, in recent years iodine supply has become more difficult, and prices have soared! Many clients often advise that it is too easily licked off or drips off the navel and that re-applications are required. Interestingly, there is little published evidence for a reduction in mortality rates using iodine as a preventative approach.
In response to this, NoBACZ Healthcare (a company based at The University of Cambridge) developed a liquid solution containing a proprietary blend of shellac and metal salts in an ethanol base (NoBACZ Navel). It provides greater desiccation (drying out) of the umbilicus than iodine or chlorhexidine (with or without spirit), and 360˚ protection by forming a non-colonizable waterproof barrier – protecting the lamb or calf from the environment. Uniquely, it also contains a bitter agent making it lick-resistant so that cows or ewes won’t interfere and lick it off the navel.
Throughout the last lambing season Flock Health Ltd ran a randomized control trial with 6840 lambs involved (half having their navels and ear-tagging sites doses with strong iodine compared with half dosed with NoBACZ Navel).
NoBACZ navel demonstrated superior protection compared with iodine in the study1. Evidenced by the 21% reduction in mortality that was observed in the NoBACZ navel group compared with the iodine group. The study also showed a benefit in dipping over spraying, and a clear benefit in applying product to the ear before tagging.
For lambs, producers should target eight-week weights of more than 20 kg. In the study, lambs that had NoBACZ navel applied to the navel and tagging sites were more than 230g heavier than their iodine group counterparts at eight weeks.
NoBACZ navel will offer greater protection and significant economic returns: 3.4 more lambs alive per 200 born, and an average of 230 g extra bodyweight (per lamb) at eight weeks!
[1] Lovatt, F. (2024). A randomised controlled trial to compare the use of a novel product (NoBACZ Navel) with strong iodine to protect navel and ear tag sites of neonatal lambs (with some additional data on neonatal calves). British Cattle Veterinary Association Congress. October 17- 19, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales