The Latest


Things to do now

Steps you should be taking now to protect your herd

Beef

  • Treat youngstock at housing for gut worms using a product that contains a macrocyclic lactone (ML) to kill off inhibited Ostertagia worms to reduce the risk of Type 2 ostertagiosis. Adult cattle should not require any treatment for gut worms, but may benefit from treatment if in poor condition. Consider diagnostic tests in older stock. Blood tests are available. Speak to your vet about these
  • 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 now. Use abattoir returns to monitor presence of fluke
  • The presence of fluke eggs in faeces can indicate liver fluke infection. Check to see if treatment is required

Dairy

  • Treat youngstock at housing for gut worms using a product that contains a macrocyclic lactone (ML) to kill off inhibited Ostertagia worms to reduce the risk of Type 2 ostertagiosis. Adult cattle should not require any treatment for gut worms, but may benefit from treatment if in poor condition. Consider diagnostic tests in older stock. Milk and blood tests are available. Speak to your vet about these
  • Take a bulk milk sample and test by ELISA to establish if the milking herd has been exposed to liver fluke. Or eggs can be detected in a faecal sample
  • 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 now. Use abattoir returns to monitor presence of fluke

Resources

Vet, academic or researcher?

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

The latest

 

COWS updates its guide to parasite control

 

Press

  1. COWS updates its guide to parasite control (COWS Press Release, 20 Jan 2020)
  2. Treat cattle for liver fluke just after housing (COWS Press Release 18 October 2019)
  3. Sheep and cattle farmers urged to start testing for liver fluke this autumn (SCOPS/COWS Joint Press Release 15 October 2019)
  4. Watch out for surge of headflies from mid-July (July 2019)
  5. Test before treating for liver fluke this spring (COWS/SCOPS Joint Press Release 1 April 2019)
  6. Lungworm threat on the rise as climate warms - Page 2 (Farmers Guardian 1 March 2019)
  7. Lungworm threat on the rise as climate warms - Page 1 (Farmers Guardian 1 March 2019)
  8. Vaccinate cattle against lungworm (COWS Press Release 19 Feb 2019)
  9. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select best treatment options - Page 3 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)
  10. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select the best treatment options - Page 2 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)
  11. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select the best treatment options - Page 1 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)