Parasite Forecast - May 2017

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich
Parasite Forecast - May 2017


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The weather in March was mild with mean maximum temperatures 1.5 - 2.5°C above average across most of the country. Rainfall was below average in the south-east and in parts of Scotland, but above average in Wales, north-west England and the Borders.

May Parasite Forecast/Update



SHEEP

Parasitic Gastroenteritis (PGE)
  • Ewes grazing heavily infected pastures and treated with a short-acting wormer at turnout, may require further worming treatments to limit pasture contamination during the 'peri-parturient rise" (PPR).
    • Aim to leave a proportion (~10%) of the ewes untreated by targeting treatments based either on body condition or faecal egg counts (FEC).
    • Ewes treated with a persistent anthelmintic before turnout should require no further treatment.
  • Ewes on safe grazing shouldn't need worming again.
  • Lambs on safe grazing shouldn't need worming until after they are weaned.
  • Ideally wean the lambs onto aftermaths, with decisions to treat based on either clinical signs, or on faecal egg counts.
  • Lambs on contaminated pastures should be wormed from 6 weeks of age onwards, based on the Nematodirus risk (see below), and for other worm species by monitoring clinically, or by FEC.
Nematodirosis

  • Severe outbreaks of disease due to the parasite, Nematodirus battus may occur in May depending on several factors:
    • A cold late spring followed by a sudden rise in temperature can trigger a synchronised, mass hatch of infective larvae on heavily contaminated pastures grazed by last year's lamb crop.
    • If this coincides with the presence of susceptible, 6-12 week-old lambs then scouring, severe production losses, and sudden deaths may follow.
  • March was mild with mean temperatures 1.5 - 2.5°C above average across most of the UK continuing the trend for above average temperatures over the last few months.
  • Consequently, the NADIS and SCOPS Nematodirus forecasts by mid-April, were predicting an early spring hatch spreading northwards with moderate to high risks for early lambing flocks with susceptible grazing lambs.
  • Continue to monitor the NADIS (www.nadis.org.uk ) and SCOPS (www.scops.org.uk) websites for updates on the situation as temperatures rise in the north.
  • White drench (1-BZ) wormers are still generally recommended to control Nematodirus and in severe outbreaks it is important to treat all lambs in the group immediately.
  • The FEC of several lambs should be checked 10 days later for the presence of other worm species, which if present, would require treatment with a wormer from another group due to 1-BZ resistance.
Coccidiosis
  • Later born lambs, particularly twins grazing contaminated pastures, may be affected by coccidiosis around 4-8 weeks of age.
  • Adverse weather conditions, poor colostrum supply, overcrowding, wet muddy paddocks previously grazed by sheep, and/or extended housing periods all predispose.
  • Avoid heavily contaminated pastures, particularly those grazed by earlier born lambs and those grazed by last year lamb crops.
  • Batch rear lambs of similar ages and consider creep feed especially during periods of inclement weather.
  • Disease prevention can also include strategic dosing lambs on contaminated pastures with diclazuril or toltrazuril at around 3-4 weeks of age, or providing medicated creep feed containing decoquinate for 28 days.
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Lambs on safe grazing should not require anthelmintic treatment until after weaning. Treatments can be further avoided by moving weaned lambs to aftermaths.
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Scour in lambs grazing contaminated pastures may be caused by nematodirosis or coccidiosis. For advice on diagnosis and correct treatment consult your veterinary surgeon.
Liver fluke
  • A high-risk of liver fluke disease was predicted for Scotland, NW England, and North Wales for last autumn/winter.
  • Sheep on farms with a known fluke problem in these regions should be dosed in the spring with a flukicide active against adult flukes to limit pasture contamination with fluke eggs.
  • Avoid the use of triclabendazole as it may hasten the selection for resistant strains of liver fluke.
  • High rainfall in May and June favours proliferation and infection of the snail intermediate hosts, which may lead to increased risk of severe fluke infections later in the season.
  • NADIS will be producing more localised fluke forecasts later this year - watch out for further details.
Blowfly strike
  • Fly strike caused by the larval stages (maggots) of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (greenbottles) affects around 80% of UK sheep flocks each year.
  • The severity of fly strike is highly variable depending on several factors including the weather.
  • Failure to treat promptly is a welfare issue and can lead to reduced performance, secondary infections and death.
  • Even very small fly strike lesions cause disrupted grazing and rapid weight loss.
  • Female flies are attracted by the odour of decomposing matter such as wounds, soiled fleece or dead animals.
  • Footrot lesions, dermatophilosis (lumpy wool), and urine scalding around the prepuce also attract egg-laying adult flies.
  • Preventing diarrhoea caused by parasitic worms will greatly reduce the risk of blowfly strike on the breech.
  • The blowfly season usually extends from May to September but with changing climate the season can be from March through to December in some regions.
  • Parasite control plans should include blowfly protection during the fly-risk period and fit with the need to control other parasites.
  • Topical preparations containing the insect growth regulators (IGRs) cyromazine and dicyclanil, which prevent blowfly strike, should be applied before the identified risk period.
    • Cyromazine provides protection against blowfly strike for up to 10 weeks.
    • Products containing dicyclanil afford 8-19 weeks' protection against blowfly strike depending on product choice.
  • Repeat treatments may be required, depending on the product used, and season length, necessitating careful planning when treating lambs due to the long meat withdrawal periods.
  • Pour-on preparations containing cypermethrin provide protection against fly strike for up to 6 to 8 weeks; alpha-cypermethrin products provide protection for 8-10 weeks.
  • These products can also be used for the treatment of active maggot infestations.
  • Deltamethrin spot-on products are used for treatment of blowfly strike only and provide no protection.
  • Diazinon dips treat active maggot infestations and provide good protection against blowfly strike for up to 6 weeks.
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Flystrike problem waiting to happen - this lamb must be "dagged" immediately and a suitable preparation applied topically to prevent myiasis. A review of PGE control measures on the farm should be undertaken with the farmer's veterinary surgeon.
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Blowfly strike attracted by neglected footrot lesion.
Cattle PGE
  • Weaned dairy or beef calves in their first grazing season that are turned out onto "safe" pasture (fields grazed by sheep the previous year or previously arable) should not require worming.
  • In contrast, calves turned out onto "high-risk" pasture (fields grazed by calves the previous year) should be wormed at, or around, turnout to limit acquired worm burdens and reduce further pasture contamination.
    • With these calves, the aim is to minimise pasture contamination through further strategic treatments where required, up to mid-July by which time any over-wintering larvae should have declined to insignificant levels.
    • Strategic treatments include administration of either a pulse or continuous release bolus at turnout or administration of pour-on, or injectable, macrocyclic lactones (MLs) at defined intervals, as recommended by the manufacturers.
  • With both strategies calves should remain set-stocked, or moved to safe pastures (aftermaths) when these become available.
Flies
  • There are many common species of flies which feed on grazing cattle.
  • Biting flies, which include stable flies (Stomoxys), horn flies (Haematobia), head flies (Hydrotaea), horse flies (tabanids), midges (Culicoides) and blackflies (Simulium) feed by puncturing the skin directly and may act as vectors of several bacterial and viral diseases.
  • Nuisance flies, such as face flies and sweat flies, scavenge the surface of the skin, wounds, or body orifices feeding on sweat, skin secretions, tears, or saliva.
  • Face flies are often the most numerous nuisance flies causing serious annoyance to grazing cattle and are linked to the transmission of diseases such as summer mastitis, New Forest Disease ("pinkeye"), and possibly BVD virus.
  • Midges transmit bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV)
  • Insecticide impregnated ear tags should be applied at the start of the grazing season to the whole herd to provide season long protection.
Local farm conditions may vary so consult your veterinary surgeon. Parasite control should be part of your veterinary health plan.

NADIS hopes that you have found the information in the bulletin useful. Now test your knowledge by enrolling and trying the quiz. You will receive an animal health certificate for this subject if you attain the required standard.

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