Farmers and the industry must remain Aware, apply Caution and use evidence-based Tactics to ACT and mitigate against the latest strain BTV-3. Following a technical AHDB meeting with the support of Ruminant Health & Welfare, Lesley Stubbings, sheep consultant and SCOPS adviser (Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep) says: “The fact is, a single bite … Continued
The Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) group has launched a survey for vets to find out more about lungworm and its treatment across the UK. Through the survey, COWS hopes to learn more about when outbreaks of lungworm are occurring, what class of stock is most affected, what clinical signs are seen and how well … Continued
Reducing potential harmful effects on the environment before applying wormer treatments to cattle is at the centre of livestock Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Research carried out in the USA by Dr Bryony Sands puts some meaningful data behind IPM principles. Many classes of veterinary pesticides have negative environmental impacts on beneficial pasture insects, in particular … Continued
Livestock farmers would traditionally be expecting to go into peak liver fluke season at this time of year – but experts in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainable (COWS) groups say 2023 has been a very strange year in terms of weather patterns. Speaking on behalf of … Continued
In recent years there has been confusion around rafoxanide, especially with respect to its use as an alternative to closantel on farms where triclabendazole resistance is suspected. In the light of a product containing rafoxanide recently being licensed in the UK (POM-V) for use in sheep as a treatment for adult liver fluke, SCOPS … Continued
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