Episode Description
Ovine brucellosis is often called the “silent thief” of sheep production—and for good reason. In this episode of The Pastoral Poddy, host Kieran Smith sits down with Western LLS veterinarian Scott Parry to unpack how this bacterial disease quietly impacts ram fertility, lambing percentages, and overall profitability.
Scott shares practical insights from years in the field, including how to identify the signs, when to test, and what producers can do to manage or eradicate the disease. The conversation also explores broader ram health, biosecurity risks, and the exciting new Ram Power Project aimed at improving reproductive performance in western systems.
Whether you’re running a controlled joining program or a continuous system, this episode is packed with grounded, practical advice to help you lift productivity and stay ahead of hidden risks.
Timestamps
[00:07:00] What ovine brucellosis is — a bacterial disease that reduces ram fertility and lamb numbers.
[00:11:00] Best timing for ram checks — check rams 4–8 weeks before joining, or earlier if brucellosis is suspected.
[00:15:00] How brucellosis spreads — most commonly introduced by infected rams entering the flock.
[00:19:00] Continuous mating challenges — rolling joining systems make detection and control much harder.
[00:24:00] Predation impact — longer lambing periods increase losses to foxes, pigs, and wild dogs.
[00:28:00] Ram Power Project — research into which rams are the best lamb-getters.
[00:35:00] Dry season warning — producers should assess agistment and biosecurity risks carefully.
[00:38:00] Final advice — focus on basics like nutrition, water, and biosecurity first.
For more information:
Ovine brucellosis - dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/sheep/health/ovine-brucellosis/ovine-brucellosis
Livestock health and diseases | NSW Government - nsw.gov.au/regional-and-primary-industries/livestock/health-diseases
For a transcript of this episode:
http://tiny.cc/brucellosis-transcript
This podcast series is produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by Western Local Land Services, supported through funding from the NSW Government as part of the Ruminants in the Rangelands project.