Practical Sheep Health Focus of Riverland Workshop
More than 50 producers, industry professionals and animal health staff gathered at Paruna recently for a practical workshop delivered by PIRSA that focused on sheep health, disease investigation and containment feeding management.
The workshop was delivered through the Biosecurity Uplift Grants and brought together leading animal health experts to provide practical knowledge that producers can apply directly on-farm. By investing in initiatives like this, SIF helps strengthen producer capability, improve animal health and welfare outcomes, and build industry resilience through better disease surveillance and management.
Dr Mary McQuillan, veterinarian and Lecturer in Ruminant Health and Production at Adelaide University's School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, led sessions on sheep pneumonia and post-mortem investigations, providing producers with practical tools to help identify and manage health issues in their flocks.
Dr McQuillan said the workshop was designed to bring producers together to better understand common diseases seen in feedlot and containment feeding systems, while also building confidence in recognising health concerns when veterinary assistance may not be readily available.
"Today was about getting producers from around Paruna and the Riverland together to learn more about diseases such as pneumonia, as well as looking at how we can better manage flocks in containment feeding situations," Dr McQuillan said.
"One of the key components was demonstrating how to perform a post-mortem and understand what you're looking for. In many regional areas, veterinary support isn't always immediately available, so having those skills and knowledge can be incredibly valuable."
The workshop included live post-mortem demonstrations, allowing participants to examine common conditions encountered in feedlot and containment feeding systems.
According to Dr McQuillan, two of the most common issues observed in these systems are pneumonia and acidosis.
"The first animal we examined was what we would call a 'shy feeder' animal, meaning it wasn't adapting particularly well to the feedlot environment," she said.
"We could see evidence of this when examining its rumen, but at the same time the animal also had pneumonia. When sheep are not eating well and have another health challenge occurring at the same time, that can often be enough to tip them over the edge."
Dr McQuillan encouraged producers to closely monitor animals that are reluctant to eat or failing to thrive in containment systems.
"If we can identify those animals early, remove them from containment and provide additional care, we can often improve their chances of recovery."
The strong turnout highlighted producers' interest in practical, hands-on learning opportunities, with attendees remaining engaged throughout the demonstrations.
"Even when we're looking at carcasses that aren't in great condition, there's still so much information you can learn," Dr McQuillan said.
"People were really interested and willing to get involved. Even from the first stage of opening an animal up, you can gain a lot of valuable information about what may have contributed to its condition."
For producers unable to attend, Dr McQuillan recommended accessing resources available through Meat & Livestock Australia and other industry extension programs.
She also highlighted resources developed through previous sheep health research projects, including producer-focused guides on conducting post-mortem examinations and recognising key disease signs.
The workshop formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen producer knowledge and improve sheep health outcomes across South Australia through practical, on-farm learning and disease surveillance.