Outbreak of listeria meningoencephalitis in young lambs

An outbreak of listeriosis occurred in five-week-old lambs in a flock of 200 Dorset ewes and 240 lambs in-wintered. Nine lambs were lost within a period of 10 days. No cases of stillbirth or abortion or cerebral listeriosis occurred in the ewes. Silage had been fed on this farm to both cattle and sheep for 10 years without any previous problems. A description of the outbreak and the findings are reported.