My Research
The prevalence of lameness in sheep in England has been falling and was 3.5% in 2013. The reduction was associated with changes in the management of lameness. The Farm Animal Welfare Council has set a target for the prevalence of lameness to be less than 2% by 2021. Most lameness is due to footrot (both interdigital dermatitis and severe footrot) which is endemic in the UK and present in almost every flock. There are ten serogroups of Dichelobacter nodosus (the causal agent of footrot) and in the UK there is one licensed multivalent vaccine targeted at nine of the serogroups. It has limited efficacy, possibly due to antigenic competition between serogroups, and reduces lameness by approximately 20%. Published research has demonstrated that autogenous mono/bivalent vaccines are more effective at control.
My research aims to:
• identify the risk factors contributing most to the prevalence of lameness in ewes in England in 2015 and identify changes in behaviour by farmers for practices associated with lameness.
• investigate the serogroup diversity and distribution of D. nodosus by flock region and management, and the impact of vaccination on serogroup diversity.
To achieve this I sourced questionnaires and interdigital swabs from 164 English sheep flocks. I identified the serogroups of D. nodosus present in each flock with PCR and I have used statistical models to investigate both the risk factors for lameness and the serologocal diversity of D. nodosus in these flocks.
Papers
- Reeves, M.C., Prosser, N.S., Monaghan, E.M., Green, L.E., (2019) Footbathing, formalin and foot trimming: the 3Fs associated with granulomas and shelly hoof in sheep, The Veterinary Journal 250:28-35.
Conferences
- University of Warwick Research Harambee 2019: Working with industry to reduce the prevalence of lameness in sheep (Invited speaker)
- SVEPM 2019: The serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus. Prosser, N.S., Green, L.E., Purdy, K.J. (Poster presentation with pitch)
- Ruminant Health Meeting 2019: The serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus (Poster with pitch)
- AHDB Livestock PhD Seminar 2018: Ewe lameness: prevalence and risk factors in 154 English sheep flocks in 2015. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Oral presentation)
- ISVEE15 2018: Ewe lameness: prevalence and risk factors in 154 English sheep flocks in 2015. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Oral presentation)
- MedVet Pathogens 2018: Ewe lameness: prevalence and risk factors in 154 English sheep flocks in 2015. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Oral presentation)
- MedVet Pathogens 2018: The serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
- University of Warwick School of Life Sciences Postgraduate Symposium 2018: Ewe lameness prevalence and risk factors. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Oral presentation)
- Sheep Breeders Round Table 2017: Serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
- AHDB Livestock PhD Seminar 2017: Serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
- Modelling in Animal Health (ModAH) 2017: A national cohort study of the serological diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus in sheep. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
- AHDB Livestock PhD Seminar 2016: A national cohort study of the microbial diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus in sheep. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
- KTN/AHDB Early Career Researchers Day for Agriculture 2016: A national cohort study of the microbial diversity of Dichelobacter nodosus in sheep. Prosser, N.S., Purdy, K.J., Green, L.E. (Poster presentation)
Contact me:
N.Prosser@warwick.ac.uk
Supervisors:
Funders:
