NADIS Data Raises Serious Fluke Alert
The latest National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) report predicts a dramatic increase in liver fluke prevalence this autumn, with producers warned to treat their stock to prevent serious disease outbreaks.
NADIS warn that if the wet weather continues, fluke cases in western Scotland may approach those associated with previous severe epidemics of the disease. Other particularly high-risk areas are Wales, north-western and south-western England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Unless appropriate control measures are taken, figures for north-eastern England, the Midlands and Southern England also indicate a significant risk of disease.
Causes for the rapid fluke increase this year are attributed to a number of factors. High incidence in 2007 has caused fluke and snail numbers to start from a relatively higher level this year. Other factors include a wet summer and generally milder weather, increasing fluke habitats and causing fluke to thrive and spread to previously unaffected parts of the country.
The prevalence of fluke particularly in cattle is often underestimated, yet data from 2005 showed that 64% of herds were infected with the parasite1. The high risk of disease reported for this season is therefore very important indeed.
Furthermore fluke has a major impact on productivity; data shows that costs to the cattle farming industry alone are around £23 million a year or £20 per infected animal2,3, so treatment against the parasite is definitely worthwhile and cost effective.
Lynda Maris, Product Manager for Merial Animal Health Ltd says "It only takes a couple of dozen fluke to affect an animal’s performance. As well as causing liver damage, liver fluke depress animal appetite and impair the animal’s ability to convert feed into body mass. This can result in weight and condition loss, impaired growth, reduced calving percentages and fertility."
Taking into account the current economy, farming is even more about the bottom line and fluke can seriously impact on the profits in a number of ways. In addition, to increased feed costs and reduced finished weight, industry sources report up to 40% of cattle livers are condemned at slaughter.
In terms of control NADIS recommend that in addition to fencing off or avoiding any high-risk, wet pastures during autumn and early winter, farms with a known fluke population should treat cattle with a flukicide at housing. Furthermore due to increased fluke spread, herds with no previous evidence of fluke disease should be assessed and treated accordingly.
Lynda Maris says; "Once animals are removed from pasture at housing there is no further exposure to fluke infection, so a fluke treatment at housing will reduce fluke burdens, minimise the damage inflicted by the parasite and maximise the returns from winter feed. Furthermore a fluke treatment at housing will also reduce pasture re-infection when cattle are turned out in the spring.
In terms of available treatments, farmers can chose to use a straight flukicide product such as Trodax® Injection. Alternatively they can use a 3-in-1 combination endectocide product such as Ivomec® Super, which as well as controlling fluke also controls damaging worms and external parasites.
