Joint Ill in Lambs: Causes, Prevention, and Management in Hungarian Fattening Systems

Joint ill in lambs is a bacterial infection causing painful, chronic arthritis due to umbilical cord or tail wound contamination, leading to reduced mobility, higher mortality, and increased antibiotic use. Prevention involves proper umbilical cord disinfection with reliable agents like iodine, use of tail-curling gum to close wounds, and maintaining hygienic, dry bedding in extensive and semi-intensive housing. Visual confirmation of disinfection is critical. This approach improves lamb health, uniformity, and cost-effective fattening, especially in dairy and meat sheep systems.