The Latest


Things to do now

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
  • Giving an early season de-wormer ensures that few gut worm eggs are shed up to mid-summer, by which time any overwintered gut worm larvae present, will have died
  • Graze youngstock on hay and silage aftermaths as they become available, as these fields will have a low parasite burden. Be aware of possible fluke infection if these fields are near potential mud snail habitats

Dairy

  • Graze youngstock on hay and silage aftermaths as they become available, as these fields will have a low parasite burden. Be aware of possible fluke infection if these fields are near potential mud snail habitats
  • Where calves are grazing infected pasture and need treatment, do not move them to new pasture immediately after treatment. Or deworm them, but leave 10% of the heaviest stock untreated
  • If concerned about de-wormer treatment failure, check faecal egg counts 14 days post benzimidazole (1-BZ) or macrocyclic lactone (3-ML) treatment. Speak to the vet or SQP about this

Resources

Vet, academic or researcher?

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

The latest

New guidance from COWS: Integrated parasite control on farms

 

Press

  1. New guidance from COWS: Integrated parasite control on farms (COWS Press Release, 10 June 2020)
  2. Liver Fluke Update from COWS & SCOPS, (12 May 2020)
  3. COWS updates its guide to parasite control (COWS Press Release, 20 Jan 2020)
  4. Treat cattle for liver fluke just after housing (COWS Press Release 18 October 2019)
  5. Sheep and cattle farmers urged to start testing for liver fluke this autumn (SCOPS/COWS Joint Press Release 15 October 2019)
  6. Watch out for surge of headflies from mid-July (July 2019)
  7. Test before treating for liver fluke this spring (COWS/SCOPS Joint Press Release 1 April 2019)
  8. Lungworm threat on the rise as climate warms - Page 2 (Farmers Guardian 1 March 2019)
  9. Lungworm threat on the rise as climate warms - Page 1 (Farmers Guardian 1 March 2019)
  10. Vaccinate cattle against lungworm (COWS Press Release 19 Feb 2019)
  11. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select best treatment options - Page 3 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)
  12. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select the best treatment options - Page 2 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)
  13. Planned worm control: Helping farmers select the best treatment options - Page 1 (Veterinary Times Livestock Spring Summer 2018)