Influence of climatic factors on the development of pneumonia in lambs

Pneumonia is responsible for important economical losses in the sheep industry in Spain and many other sheep-rearing countries, being the main cause of lamb death, and of losses due to condemnations in abattoirs and of drug costs. This respiratory syndrome is a complex disease involving the relationship between host and environment. The present study analyses the influence of environmental factors on the development of pneumonia in lambs. Statistically significant correlations were found between pneumonia as a cause of lamb death and climatic factors such as rainfall, humidity and intensity and direction of wind. The type of farm building was also an important factor to take into account in order to improve the prevention of pneumonia in lambs. Moreover, the age of the lambs was seen to be a significant item in the study of pneumonia. Respiratory pathology increased from 23 days of age. This fact permits the implementation of measures from birth to 23 days with a view to reducing pneumonia and its negative influence on lamb production. The paper discusses the practical implications of these findings for sheep production.