News


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.

For all editorial enquiries please contact Sara Gregson email: sara@saragregson.co.uk

cows eating grass

COWS and SCOPS encourage care when rotating liver fluke products

 5th February 2025

The very limited number of flukicides available to treat cattle and sheep in the UK means it’s essential for farmers, vets and advisers to fully understand their product choices, say the Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) and Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) groups. Experts on the two groups say the key to choosing … Continued

AMTRA logo

AMTRA publishes new bluetongue podcast

 14th January 2025

AMTRA has published bluetongue podcast to support SQPs/RAMAs on the frontline of product prescription and supply in giving the best possible advice to farmers A new podcast has been released by AMTRA entitled ‘Information on bluetongue for prescribing SQPs’Bluetongue podcast – AMTRA. Even though the weather has been colder at times recently, cases of bluetongue … Continued

Cows eating hay in a field

Evidence adds weight to COWS/SCOPS warnings of higher liver fluke season

 16th December 2024

The number of positive liver fluke cases is beginning to rise, in line with the statement made by the Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) and the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) groups in October that, after a wet, mild summer and autumn, livestock farmers could be facing a high challenge for some areas. … Continued

Box of tests

New lateral flow test for liver fluke launched

 14th November 2024

A new, pen-side test will help farmers make decisions whether to treat for liver fluke or not. The temptation for many farmers is to react to warnings of high liver fluke risk by routinely treating with flukicides. However, without risk assessment and appropriate testing, they cannot know when, or even if, they need to treat … Continued

Coloured boxes and logos

Cattle and sheep farmers urged to test for liver fluke this autumn

 29th October 2024

The relatively low and later incidence of liver fluke in recent years should not make cattle and sheep farmers complacent this autumn and winter, say the Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) and Sustainable Control of Parasites of Sheep (SCOPS) groups. Speaking on behalf of COWS and SCOPS, Dr Philip Skuce of Moredun says: “A run … Continued

Fluke on black background

Introducing the new lateral flow test for liver fluke – Zoom on 7 November 2024 – 4pm

 29th October 2024

Levels of liver fluke in the UK have been relatively low in recent years. However, after a wet and mild summer and autumn in many areas, forecasts are predicting that 24/25 will buck the trend, resulting in a high liver fluke challenge for some areas. The temptation for many farmers will be to react to … Continued