Significant liver fluke risk across the UK

There is a risk of very high levels of liver fluke disease across Scotland, Wales and western England according to a new forecast.

January's Parasite Forecast from the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) showed a significant risk factor across most of the rest of the UK.

It was more important than ever, Veterinary adviser Fiona MacGillivray said, that farmers are vigilant and consider fluke treatment as part of their farm health plans.

At this time she suggests that grazing cattle considered at risk and not treated should be dosed to try and remove fluke in the liver that may be affecting production.

"Consult your vet for advice on which treatment to use if cattle have been grazing high risk pastures," she said.

Cattle which have been housed but not yet treated for fluke should be dosed with a flukicide, such as closantel, clorsulon or nitroxynil, if they had been on pastures beforehand which were likely to have been contaminated.

Try to avoid using triclabendazole-based flukicide treatments in cattle unless acute disease is suspected; by conserving use of this vitally important drug for the treatment of acute disease in sheep it may be possible to reduce and delay the development of resistance, which is becoming more widespread across both the UK and Ireland.

The weather conditions experienced in 2012 will mean further problems can also be expected through 2013.

MacGillivray said: "The high fluke risk last year will mean pasture contamination with fluke cysts and an increased risk of disease problems in spring and summer."

"A fluke treatment at grass this year is therefore likely to be even more imperative to both reduce further pasture contamination and also to minimise the impact of fluke disease."