Projects - 

Antibiotic Usage in the sheep industry

We have been working closely with RUMA as since 2017 Fiona has been a member of the RUMA Target Task Force, as one of two representatives of the sheep industry.

A key principle is to #Plan-Prevent-Protect & with respect to antibiotic usage in neonatal lambs, remember that #ColostrumIsGold and #VaccinesWork.  

Click here for access to the Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group #EAE #PlanPreventProtect #Everylambcounts campaign - infographic & webinar.  Ovine abortion sampling guide

Free access to the AHDB webinar "Lambing Success - responsible use of antibiotics at lambing time" and "Protect your flock - Effective use of vaccinations" as well as recent Sheep Vet Society - Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group Farm Vet Champion webinar 'Responsible Use at Lambing' held in December 2022

Research

Flock Health Ltd are involved in a number of research projects and clinical trials on sheep farms, with veterinary practitioners and in collaboration with research institutions and industry partners.

Through her work at University of Nottingham Fiona is actively involved the following projects:

Co-supervisor to PhD student 'A study to quantify usage patterns and understand perceptions towards antimicrobial use on sheep and beef farms' (2017-2020),  PhD ‘Effects of footbathing on bacterial colonies on sheep feet’ (2017-2020) & PhD 'Sheep farmer attitudes to sheep scab control'

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

Publications

Lima, E.; Lovatt, F.; Green, M.; Roden, J.; Davies, P; Kaler, J. 2019 Sustainable lamb production: Evaluation of factors affecting lamb growth using hierarchical, cross classified and multiple memberships models Preventive veterinary medicine, 10 November 2019, Vol.174

Lima, E.; Green, M.; Lovatt, F.; Davies, P.; King, L.; Kaler, J. 2019 Use of bootstrapped, regularised regression to identify factors associated with lamb-derived revenue on commercial sheep farms Preventive veterinary medicine, 19 November 2019, Vol.174

Lima, E.; Lovatt, FM.; Davies, P.; Kaler, J. 2019 ‘Using lamb sales data to investigate associations between implementation of disease preventive practices and sheep flock performance’ Animal 

Lovatt, FM, Duncan J., Hinde, D.  2019 ‘Responsible Use of Antibiotics on Sheep Farms – Application at farm level’ In Practice - Journal of Veterinary Postgraduate Clinical Study 41(1), 23-33. doi:10.1136/inp.k5370

Doidge, C., Hudson, C., Lovatt, FM., & Kaler, J. (2019). To prescribe or not to prescribe? A factorial survey to explore veterinarians’decision making when prescribing antimicrobials to sheep and beef farmers in the UK. PLoS ONE, 14(4), doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0213855

Small, S., Cresswell, L., Lovatt, F., Gummery, E., Onyango, J., McQuilkin, C., Wapenaar, W. (2019) Do UK sheep farmers use orf vaccine correctly and could their vaccination strategy affect vaccine efficacy? Veterinary Record Published Online First: 20 July 2019. doi: 10.1136/vr.105472

Gascoigne, E., Bazeley, K., Lovatt, F. 2017 ‘Can farmers reliably perform neonatal lamb post mortems and what are the perceived obstacles to influencing lamb mortality?’ Small Ruminant Research 151 June 2017 pp 36-44

Lovatt,F.M., Genever,L., Lloyd,B., Boon,S. 2017 ‘Ram Compare – Veterinary health considerations for UK pilot central progeny test’ Proceedings of the International Sheep Veterinary Congress Harrogate UK

Lovatt, F.M., Sprott, C. 2017 ‘Limiting the spread of Maedi Visna in a commercial sheep flock in the UK’ 2017 Proceedings of the International Sheep Veterinary Congress Harrogate UK

Gascoigne, E., Lovatt, F. 2017 ‘A model for cost of neonatal lamb mortality’ Proceedings of the International Sheep Veterinary Congress Harrogate UK

Lovatt, F.M. Page, P. 2017 ‘Engagement between UK sheep farmers and veterinarians – Flock Health Clubs’ Proceedings of the International Sheep Veterinary Congress Harrogate UK

Lovatt, F.M., Page, P., Hambling, P., Blanche, M. 2017 ‘Flock Security – are UK farmers complying with best practice advice when buying in sheep?’ Proceedings of the International Sheep Veterinary Congress Harrogate UK

Lovatt, FM, Genever, L, Glover MJ & Henry, JP (2016) ‘Evaluation of semen collected from commercial rams by electro-ejaculation’ The Veterinary Record 178:14 page 342

Smith, E.M., Willis, Z.N., Blakeley, M., Lovatt, F., Purdy, K.J. and Green, L.E. (2015). “Bacterial species and their associations with acute and chronic mastitis in suckler ewes.” Journal of Dairy Science, 98 (10); 7025–7033. doi: 10.3168/jds.2015-9702

Gascoigne, E., Lovatt, F.M. (2015) “Lamb growth rates and optimizing production” In Practice - Journal of Veterinary Postgraduate Clinical Study 37, pages 401-414

Lovatt, F.M. (2015) ‘Safeguarding the role of the vet in sheep farming’ Veterinary Record 2015 176: 644-647

Lovatt, F.M. (2015) “Causes, control and costs of lameness in sheep” Veterinary Journal Ireland Vol 5 Number 4: 185-188

Wall, R., Lovatt, F.M. (2015) “Blowfly Strike: biology, epidemiology and control” In Practice - Journal of Veterinary Postgraduate Clinical Study 37, pages 181-188

Lovatt, F.M., Stevenson, H., Davies, I. (2014) “Sudden Death in Sheep” In Practice - Journal of Veterinary Postgraduate Clinical Study 36, pages 409-417

Lovatt, Fiona M. & Hoelzel, A.Rus (2014) “Impact on Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) Genetic Diversity from Two Parallel Population Bottlenecks Founded from a Common Source” Evolutionary Biology Vol 41 Number 2: 240-250

Hovers, K., Lovatt, F., Hopkins J., Roger, P. Mearns, R. (2014) “Investigation and management of sheep abortion” Livestock Vol 19 No 1 January/February; 34-40

Lovatt, F.M. (2013) “The increasing threat of liver fluke” Livestock Vol 18 No 5 September/October; 181-188

Lovatt, F.M. (2013) “Editorial: Ovine obstetrics: aiming for a healthy ewe and lamb” The Veterinary Record, May 25 vol 172; 552-553

Lovatt, F.M. Strugnell, B.W. (2013) “An observational study involving ewe postmortem examination at a fallen stock collection centre to inform flock health interventions” The Veterinary Record. 172:19 504

Lovatt, F.M. (2013) “Interactive session- the cost of footrot on measures of productivity in ewes” Proceedings of the 8th International Sheep Veterinary Congress, New Zealand 2013: 115

Lovatt, F.M., Strugnell, B.W. (2013) “A pilot study on the value of fallen stock necropsy to sheep farmers, with an emphasis on ewe mortality” Proceedings of the 8th International Sheep Veterinary Congress,