This autumn sees the launch of a new manual to help farmers control liver fluke in grazing livestock, in a joint levy-body effort to control what can be a devastating disease.
Produced by AHDB, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales and QMS the manual highlights the latest research and advice on control practices to protect livestock from potential animal health and welfare damage posed by liver fluke.
The information in this booklet has been compiled by Lesley Stubbings (LSSC Limited), Dr Philip Skuce (Moredun Research Institute) and Professor Diana Williams (University of Liverpool): and produced in collaboration between AHDB, HCC and QMS.
Dr Philip Skuce said:
‘Sustainable fluke control continues to be a challenge in grazing livestock, even after a good summer across most of the UK! Fluke risk varies from year to year, from farm to farm and even from field to field! In this new guide, we’ve tried to help farmers, vets and advisors assess the risk of fluke, based on diagnostic testing, interfaced with information on mud snail habitat and fluke epidemiology, and illustrated through a series of genuine case studies from across the country.’
Five case studies from farmers from across the UK cover a variety of management systems and fluke risk levels.
For more information, a monthly liver fluke forecast is available through NADIS, whilst the SCOPS and COWS websites cover species specific advice.