[Oct 28, 2016] COWS - Question and Answer - Controlling Cattle Parasites

@COWSworms

New Member
Thanks, how long cattle must be inside for the product containing triclabenazole to work..if you know what I mean.
Thanks for getting back to us.

As the pour on product that contains triclabendazole treats immature fluke from 6-8 weeks of age, it would be necessary to either wait eight weeks after housing before using this product or to treat at housing and again eight weeks later. There are reports of liver fluke that are resistant to triclabendazole. It is therefore very important that care is taken to reduce selection pressure where possible by only using triclabendazole-containing products when no resistance is present, and when no other option is suitable. Faecal samples can be submitted to laboratories for examination at least 3 weeks following dosing to determine if the product used has been effective.
 

@COWSworms

New Member
You mentioned using the correct product for the worm, we exclusively use ivermectin based pour ons and injections as a blanket treatment. We then treat for fluke after housing with a product appropriate to the elapsed time since housing.
My question is, am I contributing to a ivermectin resistance. And if so what other products should I be considering?
You mentioned using the correct product for the worm, we exclusively use ivermectin based pour ons and injections as a blanket treatment. We then treat for fluke after housing with a product appropriate to the elapsed time since housing.

My question is, am I contributing to a ivermectin resistance. And if so what other products should I be considering?

There are two things to consider here, blanket treatment, and the on-going use of Ivermectin.

Treatment strategies should be risk-based, taking into account pasture risk, stock susceptibility and stock performance. Animals grazing on high risk pastures (e.g. permanent pasture recently grazed by youngstock) are likely to pick up worms and will need a treatment strategy devising specific to this, whereas animals turned out onto newly sown leys or aftermath will have a lower risk, so may not need treating at pasture.

No wormer is 100% efficacious, and for ivermectin the dose-limiting parasite is Cooperia, which is one of the most common worms in cattle at pasture in the UK. Continuous use of ivermectin on the same pastures can lead to build-ups of Cooperia which are not being killed by ivermectin. Using a different class of product in your treatment cycle, e.g. a benzimidazole during the grazing season should help limit the build-up of such parasites.

Check out the COWS guide to the effective use of cattle wormers for more information. http://www.cattleparasites.org.uk/guidance/Cows Farmer Leaflet.pdf
 

@COWSworms

New Member
A question for the team via our Twitter feed, from @greenvalelims.

"Thoughts on worming adult dairy cows at calving in the autumn if they were at grass while dry"

Our experience is that adult cows harbour low levels of nematode infections, probably because they have immunity acquired over two or more seasons. The likelihood is that they will have picked up some infection. There is some evidence that treatment with eprinomectin (pour-on with zero milk withdrawal) can lead to increased milk yields in some farms, though caution should be taken around this. What do you currently do?
 

EHB

Member
Location
north wales
Thanks for getting back to us.

As the pour on product that contains triclabendazole treats immature fluke from 6-8 weeks of age, it would be necessary to either wait eight weeks after housing before using this product or to treat at housing and again eight weeks later. There are reports of liver fluke that are resistant to triclabendazole. It is therefore very important that care is taken to reduce selection pressure where possible by only using triclabendazole-containing products when no resistance is present, and when no other option is suitable. Faecal samples can be submitted to laboratories for examination at least 3 weeks following dosing to determine if the product used has been effective.
Thank you.
 

@COWSworms

New Member
When we have rapidly increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in sheep, and potentially emerging ML resistance in cattle, alongside triclabendazole resistance in fluke - should the industry be moving to testing animals and only treating them where necessary?

We have reliable tests for patent worm infections (WEC), we can use further testing for type 2 disease if suspected (pepsinogen bloods). We can look for fluke eggs, copra-antigen or liver enzyme changes for fluke. Targeted selected treatment has been shown to maintain growth rates in cattle.

I propose we should move entirely away from planned treatment and only treat animals where we have diagnosed the group with the condition, and then follow up with confirmatory tests to prove efficacy.

Does COWS have a view on this?

In relation to bovine gut parasites, we would whole heartedly agree with using integrated, tailored, targeted control programmes. We consider the research into Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) for gutworm control really promising.
This approach centres on targeting anthelmintics at individual animals which will benefit most from treatment.

In young animals, TST is based on the observation and assumption that, in the presence of adequate nutrition and absence of other endemic diseases, parasitic gastroenteritis is the main factor determining growth rate at grass. Thus, regular weighing of young stock at pasture, and treatment of those failing to reach growth targets can result in good worm control, while reducing the number of anthelmintic treatments.

Unfortunately we also have to acknowledge that some farmers do not have the labour or handling facilities to take this approach, and a housing treatment may still be advisable to control inhibited Ostertagia, although we would consider this gold standard.

For these farmers treatment strategies should be risk-based taking into account the pasture they are grazing and the susceptibility of stock, as well as considering the lungworm status – the lungworm vaccine is useful for many production systems, and offsets a potential increase in lungworm risk when use of long acting anthelmintics is suspended.

Diagnostic tests, as you’ve described, can also be useful aids in determining whether treatment is necessary, and a group faecal egg count 4-6 weeks after turnout can give a good indication of pasture challenge and help inform control options (faecal egg counts later in the season can be less illuminating as they don’t measure the pasture larvae, and these larvae can do substantial damage if untreated). Check out the different chapters of the COWS technical manual http://www.cattleparasites.org.uk/guidance.html
 

@COWSworms

New Member
I missed this thread.
Many of the drenches state that cows can't be treated in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Why is this and what is the best alternative?
@bovine can you answer this please if the q and a has finished?

Just to clarify, are you referring to dairy cattle specifically, or suckler cows too?
 

@COWSworms

New Member
What can you tell us about rumen fluke?
What can be done to detect it, control it and cure it in dairy cows?

The main treatment for rumen fluke is oxyclozanide, which will treat adult stages of rumen fluke, with lower efficacy observed against immature stages. The two products available for cattle are Rumenil and Zanil, which are both POM-VPS. When treating dairy cattle, it's important to be mindful of the 72hrs milk withdrawal period.

Evidence suggests rumen fluke is transmitted by the mud snail, Galba, i.e. the same family as Fasciola which causes liver fluke. Diagnosis is generally achieved by taking faecal egg counts, but make sure you do this in conjunction with your vet or SQP as it can be difficult to distinguish between rumen fluke eggs and liver fluke eggs. The presence of rumen fluke eggs in faeces does not always mean there is a need to treat.

Evidence is still lacking on production losses associated with rumen fluke infection, so a discussion with your vet would be advisable in cases of poor performance.

When controlling rumen fluke, follow the liver fluke guidelines for grazing management.http://www.cattleparasites.org.uk/guidance/COWS farmer fluke leaflet.pdf
 

pointer

New Member
Location
Highlands
I had a report back from the abattoir of bullocks having a heavy fluke burden. I was happy with the deadweights so didn't seem to stop them thriving. These are spring 2015-born beasts, which received pour-on Closamectin at housing in January and again at turn-out in April this year, but nothing since. What should I be doing differently to address this? thanks
 

@COWSworms

New Member
In my case, suckler cows.

Thanks for patience on this, we have been in touch with our colleagues who are members of the COWS group, and they have provided the following answer. If you do still have questions, please let us know and Michael from VMD is happy to speak to you.

The VMD is the national competent authority for authorising veterinary medicines. A summary of product characteristics is maintained for every product and these can be found through our product information database https://www.gov.uk/check-animal-medicine-licensed

It’s a search engine, so you can identify products by, for example, name, active substance, route of administration or therapeutic group. This will be a good tool for identifying suitable available products.


Next to each listing will be a public assessment report. This will provide overall information on the studies which were submitted during the authorisation process and may shed some light on why certain warnings (like not using in the last trimester) came about.

Hope this helps.
 

@COWSworms

New Member
I had a report back from the abattoir of bullocks having a heavy fluke burden. I was happy with the deadweights so didn't seem to stop them thriving. These are spring 2015-born beasts, which received pour-on Closamectin at housing in January and again at turn-out in April this year, but nothing since. What should I be doing differently to address this? thanks

Thanks for your question.
Its important to remember that no flukicides have residual effects, and therefore there is a risk that animals are picking up infection over the autumn which is a very high risk time of year. Its worth looking at your grazing management and if possible avoid high risk (damp) pasture at this time of year, to reduce the risk of fluke infection. Take a look at our liver fluke guide for more advice. http://www.cattleparasites.org.uk/guidance/COWS farmer fluke leaflet.pdf
Hope this helps.
 

@COWSworms

New Member
Thank you to everyone who has taken part in our Q and A. The session has now finished, but please do tweet us @COWSworms if you still have an unanswered question. The COWS team are always on hand to help.
 

@COWSworms

New Member
Make lungworm control a priority this spring

Lungworm infection is unpredictable by nature, and poses a significant threat to young calves, potentially reducing growth rates by over 20% and costing £50 to £100 per head.

Mary Vickers, COWS representative and AHDB Beef and Lamb Senior Scientist explains that incidences of lungworm are hard to predict and have been consistently reported across the country in recent years.

“As producers look ahead to spring grazing, control of the parasite should be a key consideration,” says Dr Vickers.

“Planning ahead, and speaking to your vet, SQP, farm adviser or veterinary pharmacist to implement a bespoke parasite control plan, that considers an integrated approach to parasite control, is a good starting point.

“For lungworm specifically, incorporating vaccination into your parasite control plan, will help reduce the risk of any performance setbacks as a result of potential worm burdens.”

She explains that lungworm outbreaks are most commonly seen in first-year grazing calves exposed to the parasite for the first time, when they have no immunity and are therefore completely unprotected.

But, occasionally outbreaks are seen in non-immune adult cattle that have had little, or no, previous exposure.

“The key factor is to build up immunity, which is best achieved by vaccinating calves, particularly on farms with a history of lungworm disease.

“Vaccinating young stock against lungworm should ideally be done prior to grazing. Two doses of the vaccination should be given four weeks apart, and to calves over eight weeks of age, to allow a high level of immunity to develop.

“There needs to be a period of up to two weeks after vaccination where calves must not be exposed to potential lungworm threats. It’s therefore important to plan in advance the purchase of vaccines and consider the correct time for administration, so calves are protected when they’re first exposed to the parasite.

“When beef farmers are dependent on consistent growth rates, and dairy farmers are relying on rearing healthy, productive heifers, controlling lungworm infection is key to ensure productivity and clinical well-being is not detrimentally affected.”

For more information on the sustainable control of cattle parasites, please visit the COWS website at www.cattleparasites.org.uk or follow us on twitter @COWSworms and Facebook.

calves at grass.jpg
 

@COWSworms

New Member
Controlling parasites in cattle at grass

Managing anthelmintic resistance through the responsible use of cattle wormers was the key take home message at a recent AHDB Beef and Lamb and COWS (Control of Worms Sustainably) farmer meeting.

Guest speakers at the event, spoke on the importance of understanding the lifecycle of cattle parasites, and managing parasitic challenges responsibly through grazing management strategies and the targeted use of wormers, taking into account different farm systems.

“Selecting for anthelmintic resistance of cattle parasites is inevitable,” explained Dr John Graham-Brown from the University of Liverpool, “This doesn’t mean we’re doomed, but it’s why initiatives such as COWS are so important to ensure the sustainable use of anthelmintics.

“The lifecycle of gutworms, lungworms and liver fluke mean that infected cattle will excrete infective eggs and larvae contaminating pastures. Consequently, there is a risk of animals being re-infected or youngstock in their first grazing season being exposed to high worm burdens, if this is not managed effectively.

“Controlling worm burdens via anthelmintics is often necessary. However, when we continue to use the same product repeatedly, for the same reason year-on-year, levels of worms with a gene that makes them resistant to said wormer will increase, hence wormers become less effective over time.

“Unfortunately, it’s not something that can be avoided, but it’s something the cattle industry can reduce and control to ensure resistance doesn’t become unmanageable.

“If we work collectively as an industry, we can stay one step ahead of resistance,” says Dr Graham-Brown.

Also speaking at the event, veterinary surgeon Rachel Hayton of Synergy Farm Health, spoke of the importance of using wormers responsibly, but also looking at grazing management strategies to help reduce the challenge and impact of cattle parasites in the first place.

“In beef cattle, gut worms are very common, and something I frequently diagnose. It’s a common cause of poor performing animals and one which can be very costly if left untreated.

“When it comes to controlling parasites, it’s important to consider a holistic approach. For example, recent research has proven that grassland management can provide a degree of parasite control without compromising production,” she says.

A recent paper published by Andy Forbes, Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine and COWS technical representative, has re-emphasized that mixed aged grazing, rotational grazing and using low risk pastures such as silage and hay aftermaths have a role to play.

These tactics can reduce the exposure of naïve animals to high worm burdens which can subsequently increase daily live weight gain in youngstock.

“With anthelmintic resistance recognised as a potential risk to the cattle industry we can’t overlook the role that grassland management can play as part of a farms parasite control plan,” says Mrs Hayton.

“Cattle wormers are the mainstay to help keep on top of parasite burdens, but when choosing the right wormer, it must be suited to the situation.

“It’s important to consider the efficacy of the product, whether you have any resistance issues on-farm, and its spectrum of activity, as not all wormers are effective against all stages of parasite lifecycles.

“It comes back to the COWS 5 R’s to the effective use of cattle wormers. If anything, I would always make the point that farmers should be weighing every animal or using a weighband to calculate the correct dose each time, and always read the product label.

“This may sound simple, but they are key factors that are often forgotten and can result in cattle being under or over dosed,” says Mrs Hayton.

When it comes to implementing a bespoke parasite control plan, the key message at the meeting was to speak to you vet, SQP or veterinary pharmacist, and take note of the COWS best practice guidelines.

Grazing management strategies*

Mixed age grazing: It’s highly likely that older cattle have a more robust immunity to common gastrointestinal worms. As a result, they can tolerate infections better and excrete lower concentrations of worm eggs in their dung when grazing, potentially reducing the level of pasture contamination. Therefore, grazing naïve first season animals with older cattle may offset the risk of parasite burdens due to the reduced level of exposure.

Leader-follower systems: This involves youngstock, in their first grazing season being grazed ahead of older cattle and moved to fresh pasture when the grass is grazed to a level that continues to provide adequate grazing for the cattle that are following on. As cattle rotate through the paddocks, so long as they remain on each paddock for less than three weeks, they should not be exposed to a high parasite challenge.

Grazing low risk pastures: Silage and hay aftermaths that have not been grazed for 12 months provide a low risk option to move youngstock onto during early or mid-July. In this instance, susceptible cattle are moved to ‘clean’ pastures in advance of the peak larval season, and therefore the mid-season build-up of infective larvae is largely prevented.
*Forbes, A, 2016, Grassland management and helminth control on cattle farms, Livestock, Vol 22 No 1

For more information visit www.cattleparasites.org.uk
calves at grass (2).jpg
 

@COWSworms

New Member
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SCOPS and COWS have teamed up to provide regular updates on liver fluke using all the information available across the UK.

The monthly updates are based on the NADIS parasite forecast and other information from industry contacts around the UK.

Feedback from around the UK in the last month confirms earlier warnings that livestock farmers need to be on their guard against liver fluke this autumn and winter. Predictions of a high risk of acute disease in localised areas of Western Scotland, and North Wales have been upheld with reports from the field with other areas of the country also reporting disease.

The latest update is attached to read
 

Attachments

  • SCOPS COWS Fluke update - Nov 2017.pdf
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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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