Livestock producer feedback on the potential causes of Liver-fluke wanted

[Farmingonline]

We are interested in livestock producer feedback on the potential causes of Liver-fluke.

As part of a major project to update the Ollerenshaw method of Liver Fluke detection Farming Online and the University of Liverpool are exploring reasons as to why liver fluke occurs as part of our research.

The liver-fluke project involves analysis data sources such as weather/soil/satellite as potential relationships/causes/facilitators of the parasite. Quite often, producers have experiences and anecdotal evidence that perhaps has not been previously studied in detail. Eg, an area that we are looking into is the association between ground water springs & fluke.

If you have any such suggestions or supporting experiences, please forward those and we will keep you up to date with progress.

Can you help us ? If so please reply to [email protected]

Information provided is treated in strict confidence in line with data protection rules.

Many Thanks for your assistance



Many Thanks for your assistance

 

[Farfrae]

I'm not a scientist but IMHO there is no way a spring can be a potential cause of liver fluke. As the intermediate host the mud snail prefer muddy, slightly acidic conditions and areas associated with poor drainage, the incidence of liver fluke may be greater in areas where there are springs (just as in wetter parts of the country). Now unless I've got something very wrong with my basic biology water springs may be a contributory factor in the spread of liver fluke but cannot cause liver fluke.

 

[Wooly]

I think there is a big rise of liver fluke in this area due to Government interference.

When the land was farmed specifically for food, the land was well drained and well managed and the incidence of Liver Fluke were rare.

Now we are farming for the benefit of wildlife.

Natural England insist the ground has to be covered in water for large periods of time with the resulting rise of fluke.

 

[Farmingonline]

I think there is a big rise of liver fluke in this area due to Government interference.

When the land was farmed specifically for food, the land was well drained and well managed and the incidence of Liver Fluke were rare.

Now we are farming for the benefit of wildlife.

Natural England insist the ground has to be covered in water for large periods of time with the resulting rise of fluke.

Thanks Wooly!
If you would like to be kept informed of our progress or you would like to be involved in testing the detection app when its ready or any aspect of the project pls email me your details to
[email protected]
Vanessa

 

[Farmingonline]

I'm not a scientist but IMHO there is no way a spring can be a potential cause of liver fluke. As the intermediate host the mud snail prefer muddy, slightly acidic conditions and areas associated with poor drainage, the incidence of liver fluke may be greater in areas where there are springs (just as in wetter parts of the country). Now unless I've got something very wrong with my basic biology water springs may be a contributory factor in the spread of liver fluke but cannot cause liver fluke.

Thanks Farfrae
If you would like to be kept informed of our progress or you would like to be involved in testing the detection app when its ready or any aspect of the project pls email me your details to
[email protected]
Vanessa

 

[Farmingonline]

Thanks Farfrae
If you would like to be kept informed of our progress or you would like to be involved in testing the detection app when its ready or any aspect of the project pls email me your details to
[email protected]
Vanessa

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with the Liver Fluke Early detection app we are developing with the University of Liverpool.
Livestock producers will be able to input a location and output a practical fluke forecast for their farm to help with treatment timing. Early detection of liver fluke to help with accurate dosing is vital to avoid poor performance and also prevent inappropriate use of flukicides We have been busy compiling one of the UK’s largest data repositories containing nearly 100,000 records of fluke data including data from bulk milk tank tests, faecal egg counts, copro-antigen tests, serology and post-mortem data. Progress on the model’s development has been accelerated as a result. We are at the stage where we now want to test the accuracy of the model against actual cases of fluke on farm. Farmers are currently forwarding us data to test but we need as many instances as possible.

Can you help? Simplyprovide us with a location / year/month when known fluke occurred past or present? Liver fluke status - was it high/medium/low risk? You don’t have to tell us! Challenge the model.

We want to use the information to run it the Liver Fluke app and then feed our results back to you.

Hope you will be able to help us at this important stage.

You can email the data or any queries you may have to [email protected]

 

[Farmingonline]

I think there is a big rise of liver fluke in this area due to Government interference.

When the land was farmed specifically for food, the land was well drained and well managed and the incidence of Liver Fluke were rare.

Now we are farming for the benefit of wildlife.

Natural England insist the ground has to be covered in water for large periods of time with the resulting rise of fluke.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with the Liver Fluke Early detection app we are developing with the University of Liverpool.
Livestock producers will be able to input a location and output a practical fluke forecast for their farm to help with treatment timing. Early detection of liver fluke to help with accurate dosing is vital to avoid poor performance and also prevent inappropriate use of flukicides We have been busy compiling one of the UK’s largest data repositories containing nearly 100,000 records of fluke data including data from bulk milk tank tests, faecal egg counts, copro-antigen tests, serology and post-mortem data. Progress on the model’s development has been accelerated as a result. We are at the stage where we now want to test the accuracy of the model against actual cases of fluke on farm. Farmers are currently forwarding us data to test but we need as many instances as possible.
Can you help? Simply provide us with a location / year/month when known fluke occurred past or present? Liver fluke status - was it high/medium/low risk? You don’t have to tell us! Challenge the model.

We want to use the information to run it the Liver Fluke app and then feed our results back to you.

Hope you will be able to help us at this important stage.

You can email the data or any queries you may have to [email protected]