Double scaup in sheep

Abstract

1. This investigation into double scaup in hill sheep took the form of a series of field experiments combined with the gathering of incidental information.The field experiments were designed to test the currently held view that double scaup is a ‘disease’ caused by mineral deficiencies (probably phosphorus) complicated by parasite infestation, which can be cured by the offering of, or treatment with, mineral mixtures combined with the use of anthelminthics.2. The experiments involved the use of a proprietary mineral mixture containing feeding bone flour, lime salt and trace elements, freely offered in troughs. Phenothiazine, dicalcium phosphate and trace elements administered orally were also used. Vitamin D2 (calciferol) was introduced into the investigation following a suggestion by Innes (1934) that double scaup may be a form of rickets.3. Statistical analysis of the weight records obtained from these experiments revealed no beneficial effect on weight gains from any of the treatments given. Field examination indicated that the treatments also had no effect upon the incidence of detectable double scaup in each of the flocks studied.4. It was found that double scaup is not a condition affecting only poorer hill farms in the north of England and in southern Scotland, but is in fact an indication of the generalized thinning of the skeleton of vast numbers of young and apparently healthy sheep in these areas.