Page 6. Farming Express
BC Partridge
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Farming Express
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The Garage
Bishops Frome
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR6 5AP
Beef producers step up fluke fight
Farmers are taking tougher action
when it comes to treating for fluke this
year following unprecedented rainfall,
which has increased fluke burden on
pastures.
Beef farmer James Evans of Shropshire
believes liver health is a key part of
maximising efficiency and productivity.
He treated his herd of 250 Stabiliser cows
for liver fluke four weeks after housing in
December to ensure he killed all stages of
fluke.
He is awaiting blood results, which will
tell him if the treatment has worked, so
he can treat again if it hasn't before he
turns the cows out this spring.
He says it is becoming increasingly
important to test his animals, as resistance
is a growing problem and wet weather
has exacerbated parasite burden.
Mr Evans usually treats his cows
only once, at housing. However, he is
considering treating them twice to ensure
the cows are in tip-top condition at
bulling.
"I'm contemplating whether or not I
should do it mid-summer," he admits.
"The seasons are changing and we are
getting milder winters so there may be of
chance of cattle picking up fluke during
the summer [if they've over wintered]
and this may hinder breeding when cows
come back bulling.
"There are many factors why cows don't
get in calf, but that could be on of them."
Suckler producer Simon Frost from
Derbyshire says there is an absolute need
on his farm to fluke cattle. Although Mr
Frost doesn't fluke at turnout since it has
never been a problem during this period,
he routinely flukes both cows and calves
twice a year in August and mid-October.
He says: "We have been fluking cows
and calves for four years as some of our
ground is wet. We never used to bother,
but then we would see a problem."
Mr Frost targets his treatment around
risk periods and treats for fluke in August
as this is also a risk period for other
parasites, such as lungworm, which the
product he uses also covers. He then
treats cows and calves again in midOctober to remove fluke at housing.
"Having healthy cows and calves
is critical to the golden triangle of
production, which includes health,
genetics and nutrition. If we had a
fluke problem we wouldn't be able to
meet our 1kg a day daily livestock gain
target. There's a need to treat to maintain
performance," he says.
VET ADVICE ON TREATING
FLUKE
Farmers who have killed all stages of
fluke at housing (by doubling treating or
delaying treatment to ensure all stages of
fluke have been killed) are being advised
to treat again 10 weeks post-turnout to
remove adult fluke and minimise pasture
contamination this spring.
However, if animals havent been treated
with a flukicide at housing, or if the
product used hasnt effectively killed
all stages of fluke, farmers should treat
before turnout to prevent them excreting
eggs onto the pasture and adding to the
problem.
There are two reasons why the product
may not have worked this season; fluke
worms could either be resistant and there
isnt a product that kills all stages of fluke.
To be certain the product has worked
farmers should conduct faecal egg counts
or request liver feedback from abattoirs.
Out wintered cattle should be treated now
to remove infections.
It is paramount farmers speak with their
vet and implement a tailored parasite
control programme for the forthcoming
grazing season to ensure they are treating
effectively.
Information provided by practicing farm
vet Robert Howe, of Lambert Leonard
and May Farm Vets, in Lancashire (part
of XL Vets).