Nematodirus 2018

[Hannah Rose]

Hi all,

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a parasitologist at Bristol Vet School involved with running the SCOPS Nematodirus alerts. We’ve just issued a press release that hatching is predicted to begin shortly in some areas and may be earlier on some farms depending on your microclimate. We’ve already had some cases in the Hereford area.

Please could you drop me an email at [email protected] with details of your approximate location if you have seen Nematodirus in any egg counts already, or if you’ve had any lambs go down with it? Your report will be treated as confidential but will help us to double-check our predictions and issue updated local alerts.

The press release is here: http://www.scops.org.uk/news/297/sc...as-spring-temperatures-finally-start-to-rise/

I’ll keep an eye on this thread in case anyone wants to post reports directly onto the forum. That might be useful to others in your area if you’re happy to share publicly.

Thanks,

Hannah

 

[GreenerGrass]

I'm not sure if you have access to data from Mick at Langord, maybe your colleague? But he did a PM for me on 8th March a 6 week old lamb with 100 epg nematodirus (just a finding- wasn't cause of death!). Gave the lambs a white drench the following day as a few were going loose which got cleared up the nemo until last week I started seeing some again. So gave a second white drench 12th April.

I do follow the map, and was surprised with the temperatures it was so early. I am currently think I might have to do a follow up drench in 3 weeks as I have some younger lambs and on paper seems like it will be a big hatch coming up. Could have given a PM, but thought your topic would benefit from the bump so more people see it - the map is v worthwhile.

 

[Hannah Rose]

Thanks for the report and the positive feedback. I do know Mick and we get monthly summaries but I don’t get data case-by-case so thanks for the reminder. Every year I like to keep an eye out for very early cases so reports like this are useful. There have been a few earlier ones like yours but nothing unexpected. I’m guessing the fields your lambs were grazing must have been warmer than the site of the nearest weather station.

I’m really glad you think the map is worthwhile. There will be variation in risk from farm to farm as the weather and temperatures can vary a lot even between fields. Hopefully we’ve explained that well enough on the website.

I'm not sure if you have access to data from Mick at Langord, maybe your colleague? But he did a PM for me on 8th March a 6 week old lamb with 100 epg nematodirus (just a finding- wasn't cause of death!). Gave the lambs a white drench the following day as a few were going loose which got cleared up the nemo until last week I started seeing some again. So gave a second white drench 12th April.

I do follow the map, and was surprised with the temperatures it was so early. I am currently think I might have to do a follow up drench in 3 weeks as I have some younger lambs and on paper seems like it will be a big hatch coming up. Could have given a PM, but thought your topic would benefit from the bump so more people see it - the map is v worthwhile.

 

[kfpben]

Is it worth worrying about nemo if my oldest lambs were born on 15th March? No shitty backsides as yet. Happy to drench them if needed but they’re still pretty small. Probably smaller than they should be for their age due to the earlier bad weather.

How worthwhile is a fec for nemo?

 

[Hannah Rose]

Hi kfpben.

I’m sorry I can’t tell you whether or not you should treat as I don’t know where you’re based, management history etc. but the SCOPS alerts and info on the web page will help you decide http://www.scops.org.uk/forecasts/nematodirus-forecast/ Vets and prescribers (whoever you buy drenches from) should also be able to help you interpret it before they give treatment advice/prescribe a product.

Your lambs are young and I’ve heard from others that ewes are not milking well this year so the lambs are likely grazing more than they usually would at this age. This means that if the Nematodirus eggs have hatched on your farm the lambs will be picking them up as they graze and will be at risk. Most of the weather stations we monitor are showing moderate risk and hatch has already happened on some farms where the conditions are warmer (e.g. lower elevations, sunny fields, and perhaps sheltered from the recent snow). There’s info on the SCOPS web page to help you decide if hatch may have happened on your farm and how to avoid infection or treat if needed.

None of the treatments have persistent activity against Nematodirus so if you can’t avoid grazing land that was grazed by lambs last year you may need to repeat treatments if the period of risk (see SCOPS alerts) is extended.

Dirty bums and FECs aren’t much use for monitoring Nematodirus in spring and deciding when to treat or move fields unfortunately as the damage is done by the larvae before the eggs appear in the dung, and diarrhoea is a sign of damage caused by the worms, so if the lambs survive some damage has already been done. FECs are useful for all the other species of worms though, and if you are doing regular FECs and see Nematodirus in them then it can give you an idea of which fields will be contaminated next year so could help you plan your grazing for 2019 e.g. which fields will be safest to graze young lambs next year.

Hope that helps, sorry I can’t give you a specific answer but individual advice for treatment and prescribing a drench has to come from your vet or prescriber.

Is it worth worrying about nemo if my oldest lambs were born on 15th March? No shitty backsides as yet. Happy to drench them if needed but they’re still pretty small. Probably smaller than they should be for their age due to the earlier bad weather.

How worthwhile is a fec for nemo?

 

[kfpben]

Many thanks for your full reply @Hannah Rose

White drench has been ordered. I’ll drench them early next week.