Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39960156›Full record

ArticleThe Veterinary record2025

Farmer perceptions of clinical mastitis incidence, risk factors and epidemiology in meat-producing sheep flocks in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Alberto Luque Castro, Alastair Macrae, Darren J Shaw, Rob Kelly, James Patrick Crilly, Fraser Murdoch, Neil Sargison

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Veterinary record, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alberto Luque CastroRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6011-9474
Alastair MacraeRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.
Darren J ShawRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.
Rob KellyRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0946-1490
James Patrick CrillyLarkmead Vets, Cholsey, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2931-6618
Fraser MurdochRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.
Neil SargisonRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6768-5310

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMastitis has a negative effect on sheep health and welfare and causes significant economic losses to farmers. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of clinical mastitis in meat-producing sheep flocks in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and describe its variation between farming systems, countries and management practices.

methodsAn online questionnaire was distributed to sheep farmers recruited through veterinary practices and industry organisations. The survey was available between September 2022 and April 2023.

resultsA total of 103 responses were collected. Of these, 53.4% were from lowland farmers, 49.5% were from farmers practising indoor lambing and 68% were from farmers with commercial flocks. The mean perceived incidence of clinical mastitis was 3.7 cases per 100 ewes per year (95% confidence interval: 3.0-4.4). Flock size was negatively correlated with the perceived incidence of clinical mastitis; however, country, farming system, flock type and lambing type did not significantly influence the perceived incidence of clinical mastitis. Acute clinical mastitis was more frequently identified in early and late lactation, while chronic clinical mastitis was more frequent at lambing, weaning and postweaning. More medical treatments were used for acute clinical mastitis cases than for chronic clinical mastitis cases. LIMITATIONS: The main limitations of the study were the relatively low number of responses received and the potential selection bias.

conclusionThe perceived incidence of clinical mastitis in meat-producing sheep flocks in the UK and the Republic of Ireland is 3.7 cases per 100 ewes per year, regardless of farming system, flock type, lambing type and country.

Indexed as

Animal HusbandryFarmersHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMastitisSheep DiseasesAnimalsFemaleHumansIncidenceIrelandRisk FactorsSheepSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID39960156
PMCPMC12007487

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.