SCOPS group predict high fluke risk

The SCOPS group put out a fluke alert at the end of summer warning that due to the wet summer the fluke risk would be high and to make sure prescribers discussed the situation with their farmers. The fluke challenge has, as anticipated, been very high this year and the traditional treatment times are no longer applicable.

None of the flukicides are persistent so the minute the stock graze fluke infested pasture again they get reinfected. The fluke numbers are so high at the moment sheep may show clinical disease 4-5 weeks after treatment. RE-treatment times are not exact and will vary from farm to farm but local sources of information like VI centres may give a guide on the current situation.

For more information visit SCOPS.

SCOPS release warning on liver flukes for sheep and cattle farmers

Liver flukes in sheep and cattle cause false test results. We covered liver flukes last month and discussed their background.

Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) have listed key points as to why liver flukes matter:

-Liver flukes can kill animals and cause serious economic loss.
-The wet summer has increased the risk of disease due to liver fluke this year.
-Sheep and cattle farmers need to assess the risk on their farms and take appropriate action now.
-This could include avoiding grazing high risk pasture and using specific liver fluke treatments where necessary.
-Planning ahead will reduce the losses due to liver fluke next year.

Visit the SCOPS for more information.

Number of Schmallenberg cases in the UK continue to rise

Work carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) looking at the epidemiology of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has uncovered results which suggest that the virus has over-wintered and is circulating now.

Commenting, Carl Padgett, President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said:

“The work carried out by the RVC and IAH is very important in enhancing our understanding of the Schmallenberg virus. But we are not surprised that the virus may have over-wintered as this was always a possibility.

For more information on virus’ progress visit BBSRC.

Read previous stories on the Schmallenberg outbreak.

MSD Animal Health presents results of a vaccine against Schmallenberg virus to protect sheep and cattle

MSD Animal Health announces the successful development of a candidate vaccine against the Schmallenberg virus. Immediately after the first cases appeared at the end of 2011, MSD Animal Health started the emergency development program.

The vaccine is based on wild-type Schmallenberg virus that has been inactivated and contains an adjuvant that stimulates the immune response. In the studies to date, safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in calves, lambs and pregnant ewes.

“During the trials, all vaccinated animals were protected against Schmallenberg virus infection (complete blockage of viremia), whereas all controls developed viremia after challenge”, said Veronique Moulin, research scientist at the virological R&D department at MSD Animal Health.

More information on Schmallenberg.

Novartis highlight tick risk for sheep this summer after one of the wettest springs on record

April saw more than double the average rainfall for the time of year in most of England, Wales and eastern Scotland, which has produced ideal conditions for ticks to reproduce and spread, according to the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS). Lambs and ewes grazing tick habitats are therefore now at greater risk of picking them up.

“In some areas of the country the tick challenge has been quite high this year, so it’s important to treat sheep to reduce the spread of serious diseases that ticks can carry,” says Novartis Animal Health’s vet Thomas Tiley.

“These include louping ill, tick pyaemia and tick-borne fever in sheep, all of which can be fatal. And the incidence of the serious tick-borne zoonosis, Lyme’s disease, also seems to be on the increase in humans and dogs.”

Sheep farmers have been told to be prepared to deal with the threat of blowfly strike as the weather warms up

Wendy Phillips, a vet with the Arrowfield Veterinary Group, in Herefordshire, said both ewes and lambs will be at risk, especially if they are dirty, as weather conditions change.

“Blowfly can emerge very quickly, with eggs hatching within 12 hours. The advice is now to treat your flock and treat them early. Some thought is needed when choosing the most appropriate pour-on at this time of the year.

Helen Langham, Product Manager with Novartis Animal Health, said she had already received reports of strike earlier this month at a farm near Saltash on the Cornwall-Devon border, with another report coming in last week of a strike case further up the country in Worcestershire.

“The message for dealing with blowfly is to treat preventatively. We had some reports of strike as early as March but things then went quieter during the colder wet period. Farmers should not be lulled into a false sense of security though. Now the weather is warming up again, we will see optimum conditions for strike,” she said.

Novartis also identified a significant risk from nematodirus due to changing weather patterns last week.

Novartis has released an 0.5l Zolvix treatment specially designed for quarantine situations, designed to completely eradicate parasitic infections. The treatment has been specifically designed for small scale farms and is designed to be a thorough deterrent for parasites such as worms.

Zolvix is relatively short-living and therefore the chance of resistance is low.

For full details on Zolvix please click here.

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