Complete a survey and possibly win an iPad


Things to do at housing

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.
  • 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 abattoir returns to monitor presence of fluke
  • 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

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

Resources

Vet, academic or researcher?

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

3rd June 2021

The University of Liverpool and the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) have launched a study to investigate the current parasite control practices of UK cattle farmers.

All farmers are encouraged to fill in a short questionnaire about how they worm their cattle each year. Respondents will be put into a draw to win an iPad and/or a year’s free subscription to the NADIS new online parasite control package.

“We are trying to establish some basic facts such as the prevalence and distribution of worms, for which solid figures and evidence are hard to come by,” says Dr John Graham-Brown from the Univerisity of Liverpool.

“We are interested in all control practices carried out on farms, including things such as grazing management as well as the use of anthelmintics.

“Our survey can be taken in English or Welsh and has been tested by farmers – so it should be easy to follow and complete.”

To fill out the survey click here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/parasitic-worms-on-uk-farms-risk-and-control-2