The following is a summary submitted with the application. A copy of the student’s abstract/thesis was not received.
The proposed research project involves collecting data on the proportion of sheep farmers who have decided to cease the administration of the vaccination of OJD, Gudiar. Once sufficient data has been collected across NSW sheep farms, investigations into the reasons for this discontinuation will commence. These will include the social, economical and behavioural reasons assoiciated with the
decision.
In addition, faecal samples will be collected from sheep from farms that have ceased vaccination. Samples will be cultured and analysed for the change in levels of shedding and disease prevalence over a period of time. This is to determine if there is a possibility that sheep shedding the bacteria, without clinical signs can cause reinfection into lambs that don’t get vaccinated.
The findings from this study will be used to refine vaccination policy on Gudiar and to get a deeper understanding of the risk of OJD recurring in environments where sheep are not vaccinated.