News


Things to do this summer

Steps you should be taking now to protect your herd

Beef

  • Anthelmintic treatments can be administered to calves strategically during the first half of the grazing season to counter gut worm infections. The frequency of treatment depends on the persistency of the product used – speak to your vet or SQP about this
  • Summer is a good time to use faecal egg counts (FECs) to monitor gut worm infection in first and second season grazing calves. Assess condition and weight and provided nutritional needs are being met, consider further investigation if calves are failing to thrive. If FECs come back positive, but below the 200 eggs/gram threshold for treating, test again in two to three weeks, as FECs can rise quickly in July and August
  • All-group treatments provide strong selection pressure for anthelmintic resistance. An alternative is to take an evidence-based approach and give anthelmintics on information obtained from growth monitoring and faecal egg count (FEC) analysis. Assess the risk with your vet

Dairy

  • Summer is a good time to use faecal egg counts (FECs) to monitor gut worm infection in first and second season grazing calves. Assess condition and weight gain and provided nutritional needs are being met, consider further investigation of calves are failing to thrive. If FECs come back positive, but below the 200 eggs/gram threshold for treating, test again in two to three weeks, as FECs can rise quickly in July and August
  • Anthelmintic treatments can be administered to calves strategically during the first half of the grazing season to counter gut worm infections. The frequency of treatment depends on the persistency of the product used – speak to your vet or SQP about this
  • Graze youngstock on hay and silage aftermaths as they become available, as these fields will have a low parasite burden

Resources

Vet, academic or researcher?

Take a look in Resources for more detailed information on all topics.

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

Female Cooperia MRI

COWS updates its guide to parasite control

 20th January 2020

The Control of Worms Sustainably in cattle group (COWS) has released updated chapters of its technical guide to parasite control, at the Animal Health Distributors’ Association conference in Birmingham last week (Wednesday 15 January 2020). The new sections, covering round worms, lungworm, liver and rumen fluke and ectoparasites such as flies, lice and ticks, provide … Continued

Cows in a field with a line of trees in the distance

2019 Press Releases

 31st December 2019

  Treat cattle for liver fluke just after housing – 18th December 2019 Sheep and cattle farmers urged to start testing for liver fluke this autumn – 15th October 2019 Watch out for surge of headflies from mid-July – 8th July 2019 Nematode control in cattle – Page 1 Nematode control in cattle – Page … Continued

2018 Press Releases

 31st December 0218

COWS SCOPS Liver Fluke Warning – 16th October 2018 Farmers urged not to get caught out by low fluke risk this winter page 1 – 12th October 2018 Farmers urged not to get caught out by low fluke risk this winter page 2 – 12th October 2018 COWS SCOPS Liver Fluke warning – 5th September … Continued