Confidence does not mediate a relationship between owner experience and likelihood of using weight management approaches for native ponies.

Native ponies are at increased risk of obesity and metabolic perturbations, such as insulin dysregulation (ID), a key risk factor for endocrinopathic laminitis. Management and feeding practices can be adapted to maintain healthy body condition and support metabolic health, but owners may inadvertently provide their ponies with inappropriate management leading to obesity and exacerbating risk of metabolic disease. Adoption of preventative weight management approaches (WMAs), including regular monitoring of body condition, providing appropriate preserved forage, promoting seasonal weight loss, and using exercise accordingly, are key in supporting native ponies' metabolic health.

Comparison of clinical cure rates from footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis using zinc sulphate foot bathing and topical oxytetracycline: A randomised trial.

Background: This study reports the clinical cure rates of topical oxytetracycline and 10% zinc sulphate foot bathing for treatment of interdigital dermatitis (ID), footrot (FR) and contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) in lambs.

Methods: The study was a randomised controlled trial of 75 lambs. Group A (n = 38) was foot bathed daily for 5 days in 10% zinc sulphate for 15 minutes and group B was treated with daily topical oxytetracycline for 5 days.

Managing liver fluke on hill farms.

This focus article has been prepared by Amanda Carson and Bryony Jones of the APHA Small Ruminant Expert Group and Dai Grove-White of the University of Liverpool.