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
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: 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
New research shows farmer confusion over the diagnosis and control of rumen fluke and liver fluke. Despite rumen flukes being present in Great Britain for 50 years or more, it is only in the past decade that they have been regarded as potentially pathogenic parasites. This may coincide with the establishment of Calicophoron daubneyi as … Continued
The inclusion of rumen fluke figures in faecal egg count sample results is not necessarily a cause for concern, according to experts in the Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainably (COWS) and Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) groups. COWS and SCOPS has been working hard to encourage livestock producers to use faecal egg counts (FECs) … Continued
Although, as forecast, cases of disease due to liver fluke have remained relatively low so far this winter, there are reports of both acute and chronic disease in some areas of the UK. This means livestock farmers must not drop their guard, warn experts in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control … Continued
Routine testing of cattle dung for roundworm eggs throughout the summer has led to less use of wormers, reducing cost and the stress and effort of rounding up first season grazers, on three cattle farms near Preston in the North West of England. All three farmers, clients of vet Rob Howe of LLM Farm Vets … Continued
The level of liver fluke is forecast to be relatively low for much of the UK, but the risk to grazing livestock on individual farms is becoming less predictable. That is the warning from experts in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainably (COWS) groups, who say diagnostic … Continued
A new practical guide on how to control liver fluke on beef and sheep farms has been published. Compiled by leading liver fluke experts, independent sheep consultant Lesley Stubbings, Dr Philp Skuce of the Moredun Research Institute and COWS member Professor Diana Williams of the University of Liverpool, the booklet has been written and produced … Continued
Cattle worming experts are urging farmers to test animals before giving anthelmintics at or around housing this year, to check if they are really needed. Unnecessary blanket treatments are a waste of farmers’ time, effort and money and can encourage anthelmintic resistance, meaning products may not work in future. Traditionally first season grazing dairy calves … Continued