Tasmanian livestock consultant and veterinarian Paul Nilon.
Lice are a costly problem for sheep producers but they can be controlled through regular surveillance and good farm biosecurity.
While the biggest impact of sheep lice is fleece damage in Merinos, Tasmanian livestock consultant and former ParaBoss* Technical Committee member Paul Nilon said lousy flocks face control costs and reduced marketing options, regardless of breed.
“Lice infestation can easily reduce fleece weights by up to one kilogram, but the critical thing is the fleece derangement caused by rubbing and pulling,” Paul said.
“This destroys the value of your clip – it may well be halved if lice are left unchecked.
“There’s also the impact on your trading options. No one wants to buy lousy sheep.”
In rare cases, lice infestations can be so extreme they affect animal health and welfare.
