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Things to do now this winter

Steps you should be taking now to protect your herd

Beef

Check if youngstock needs worming for gut worms at housing using faecal egg counts (FECs). If infection risk is high, use a product that contains a macrocyclic lactone (ML) to kill off inhibited Ostertagia worms to reduce the risk of Type ll ostertagiosis later in the winter. Adult cattle should not require any treatment for gut worms.

Blood test a group of first season grazing calves (as sentinels) two weeks after housing to check whether they have been in contact with liver fluke in the summer

The copro-antigen test or presence of fluke eggs in faeces can indicate liver fluke infection. These tests are best done about eight to twelve weeks after housing in older cattle. Use them around Christmas to see if treatment is required

Dairy

Check if youngstock needs worming for gut worms at housing using faecal egg counts (FECs). If infection risk is high, use a product that contains macrocyclic lactone (ML) to kill off inhibited Ostertagia worms to reduce the risk of Type ll ostertagiosis later in the winter. Adult cattle should not require any treatment for gut worms

Take a bulk milk sample to test if the milking herd has been exposed to liver fluke.

There is no natural immunity to liver fluke, so all ages of stock must be assessed for treatment where there is a history, or risk of infection. Check fluke forecasts and use abattoir returns to monitor presence of fluke

For all editorial enquiries please contact Sara Gregson email: sara@saragregson.co.uk

COWS & SCOPS say testing before treating for liver fluke advisable after weird weather this year

20th October 2023

Livestock farmers would traditionally be expecting to go into peak liver fluke season at this time of year – but experts in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainable (COWS) groups say 2023 has been a very strange year in terms of weather patterns. Speaking on behalf of … Continued

COWS SCOPS update on Rafoxanide use against liver fluke

2nd October 2023

In recent years there has been confusion around rafoxanide, especially with respect to its use as an alternative to closantel on farms where triclabendazole resistance is suspected. In the light of a product containing rafoxanide recently being licensed in the UK (POM-V) for use in sheep as a treatment for adult liver fluke, SCOPS … Continued

Climate and management changes may increase red water disease

27th July 2023

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) veterinary investigation officer Harriet McFadzean presented findings from her 2021 MSc project from the University of Edinburgh, on surveillance and risk analysis for bovine babesiosis at a recent COWS Steering Group meeting. Babesiosis, colloquially known as red water disease because of the colour of affected animals’ urine, is caused … Continued

Learn about lungworm

7th June 2023

Mark Pass is the lead SQP for the Willows Veterinary Group and has recently joined the Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) steering group. He has just completed an MSc thesis on lungworm and feels there is much that can be done to reduce the increasing number of cases being seen on dairy farms across the … Continued

CANTER launches to counter growing worm resistance in horses

15th March 2023

CANTER: a new pan-industry group to combat wormer resistance in UK equines CANTER (Controlling ANTiparasitic resistance in Equines Responsibly) brings together voluntary representation from the widest reaches of the equine sector. This includes leading experts in the field across prescribers, diagnostics providers, pharmaceutical companies, trade organisations, technical experts, horse owners, charities, and policy makers. All … Continued

Confusion over rumen fluke and liver fluke