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Advances in sheep production

Code: 9781801468022
Publication Date: 23/12/2025
Extent: 456 pages
Series No: 162

Edited by: Lesley Stubbings, Consultant, UK and Kate Phillips, Consultant, UK

Description

While sheep production has an important place in many farming systems across the world, sheep products face an increasingly competitive market. In addition to traditional concerns about product quality, consumers are also increasingly motivated by issues such as livestock welfare, greenhouse gas emissions and the sustainability of production to maintain or enhance natural capital.

Advances in sheep production provides a comprehensive review of these challenges and the specific measures implementable to improve sustainability, animal health and product quality. The book also considers the contribution of breeding to improving non-production traits, management practices to improve lifetime health and performance, as well as ways of monitoring and improving health, welfare and nutrition.

In providing a detailed overview of the current status of sheep production, the book showcases the areas where improvement is required to achieve optimum sustainability, health, welfare and nutrition, as well as product quality.

Key Features

  • Provides a detailed overview of the current challenges facing sheep production, including changing consumer and societal attitudes to sheep products
  • Considers how sheep production can improve its sustainability through the implementation of key practices, such as the use of genetic improvements to reduce GHG emissions
  • Reviews the recent advances in sheep breeding and genetic selection, as well as how it can be optimised to improve fertility and reproductive performance in sheep

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Table of Contents

Part 1 Challenges facing sheep production

  • 1.Understanding consumer and societal attitudes to sheep production: Emilia Cubero Dudisnskaya, Serena Mandolesi, Simona Naspetti and Raffaele Zanoli, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy;
  • 2.Sustainability of sheep production: Hollie R. Riddell, Bangor University, UK;
  • 3.“One Health” issues affecting small ruminant production: Neil D. Sargison, University of Edinburgh, UK;

Part 2 Improving breeding and reproduction

  • 4.Advances in understanding the genetics of production and non-production traits: S. Id-Lahoucine, K. Kaseja, A. McLaren and N. Lambe, Scotland’s Rural College, UK;
  • 5.Improving ewe management for lifetime production: Nerys Wright, Independent Sheep Consultant, UK; and Kate Flay, City University of Hong Kong, China;
  • 6.Advances in improving lamb survival and health: C.M. Dwyer, Scotland’s Rural College, UK;

Part 3 Improving flock health and welfare management

  • 7.Improving disease surveillance in sheep populations to support preventative flock health management programmes: Suzanna Bell, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Veterinary Investigation Centre, UK; and Rudolf Reichel, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Surveillance Intelligence Unit, UK;
  • 8.Changing priorities and practices in the management of parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants: Eric R. Morgan, Queen’s University Belfast, UK;
  • 9.The use of precision livestock technologies in managing sheep health and welfare: Claire Morgan-Davies, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), UK;

Part 4 Managing grazing systems and nutrition

  • 10.Advances in sustainable sheep pasture and grazing management: David Barker, Marilia Chiavegato, Braden Campbell and Kyle Verhoff, Ohio State University, USA;
  • 11.Improved grazing systems for optimum sheep nutrition and health: Liz Genever, Consultant, UK;
  • 12.Developments in feed additive supplements for improved sheep nutrition and health and reduced enteric methane production: Alison J. Bond and Sarah Gallimore, Rumenco Ltd, UK;
  • 13.Advances in understanding and optimizing gastrointestinal microbiome and function in sheep: Jiakun Wang, Zhejiang University, China; and Zhongtang Yu, The Ohio State University, USA;

Part 5 Improving sustainability and product quality

  • 14.The use of sheep in mixed farming systems for improved sustainability: Jude L. Capper, Harper Adams University, UK;
  • 15.Advances in understanding and optimising sheep meat eating quality and nutritional value: Nicola M. Schreurs and Holly M. Phillips, Massey University, New Zealand; and Grace A. Mashele, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania;
  • 16.Advances in understanding and optimising sheep wool quality: Ningtao Mao, University of Leeds, UK;
About the Editor(s)

Lesley Stubbings is an independent consultant and a former Principal Sheep Consultant with ADAS in the UK. She is recipient of both an OBE from the UK Government and the George Hedley Memorial Award from the UK National Sheep Association for her outstanding contribution to the British sheep sector. She is an Honorary Life Member of the Sheep Veterinary Society and a leading figure in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) Group which is acknowledged as a world leader in integrated parasite control.

Kate Phillips is an independent consultant for the UK sheep sector and former Principal Livestock Consultant with ADAS. She is also a Regional Advisor for the Moredun Foundation and was a Senior Lecturer at Harper Adams University teaching ruminant production and nutrition. She is widely recognised for her expertise in aspects of sheep nutrition, welfare and health issues such as lameness and scab.

What others are saying about this book...

“This collection brings together valuable, up-to-date information across a wide range of subjects that are critical in understanding challenges and solutions for sheep production today. The high calibre of well-regarded authors will ensure that this publication provides a trusted source of information for a wide-ranging audience.” (Dr Nicola Lambe, Reader in Sheep Production and Genetics, Scotland’s Rural College, UK)

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