Skin Diseases and Their Impact on Sheep Production

Sheep farming is a lucrative business in Nigeria; the rams are used as food and sacrificed during religious festivities. Trading hides and skin is a source of employment for many people at both local and international levels. The overall health status of an animal can be judged by how the skin looks at the point of sale. Cutaneous lesions in sheep are a major setback to this business, and there is a need to understand the causative agents and provide preventive measures to boost sheep farming. Many etiological agents, ranging from parasites, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and mineral deficiencies, have been implicated in causing cutaneous lesions in sheep farming. Decreased market value of animals, rejection of hides at tanneries, and sometimes partial or total condemnation at slaughterhouses are major setbacks to sheep production globally. Zoonotic risks have also been identified in some parasitic and bacterial causes of cutaneous lesions. Treatment of cutaneous lesions in sheep production is not only expensive but also time-consuming. Preventive measures are the only solution to improve sheep productivity for better profit.