Longitudinal study of the effect of sporidesmin toxicity on lamb production and serum biochemistry in a flock of 46 Romney ewes using a standardised measure of liver damage.

Sheep with gross and histological evidence of severe sporidesmin-induced liver damage were able to maintain or gain body weight, suggesting that sporidesmin intoxication alone is not causative of poor body condition. Similarly, many of the serum biochemistry tests were not associated with evidence of liver damage. Lamb production was reduced in ewes with evidence of severe liver damage and the decision tree model showed promise as a basis to select ewes for culling.