After a warm, dry summer in many areas, the recent shift to damper conditions has kept blowfly strike on the agenda for many sheep farmers. With September and October temperatures above average in places, flies remain active, and the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group is encouraging flock owners not to assume the risk has passed.
SCOPS says this is a useful point in the season to review fly control plans, particularly where sheep were treated earlier in the summer. Some preventative products may now be nearing the end of their stated protection period, so checking treatment dates, product persistence and at-risk groups can help identify where additional monitoring or action may be needed.
Blowfly strike can develop quickly, especially where fleece is wet and/or dirty. Sheep that are scouring, have daggy back ends, wounds, footrot, or reduced mobility are likely to be at higher risk and are worth prioritising for checks.
Nerys Wright, technical adviser for SCOPS, says reports of blowfly strike are still being received from farmers across the country.
“Several farmers have reported active blowfly strike within their flocks this week. It is easy to assume the risk is over once we move into autumn, but the combination of recent rain and temperatures that are still relatively mild for the time of year means blowflies remain a real threat in many areas.
“The key message is to remain vigilant. If a product applied earlier in the season is coming towards the end of its protection period, it’s worth checking the label and your treatment records, and keeping a close eye on higher-risk sheep.”
Olly Matthews, deputy chair of SCOPS and a sheep farmer, says autumn management remains critical.
“From a practical farming perspective, this is the time of year when it’s tempting to think blowfly season is winding down, but sheep and flies do not read the calendar. If conditions suit, strike can still occur.”
The same weather pattern is also continuing the now familiar extension of the traditional gut worms season. Autumn worm risk is not new, but current conditions are a timely reminder that the challenge can persist later into the year.
Continuing to use faecal egg counts (FECs), alongside monitoring lamb growth rates and ewe body condition, can help identify when treatment might be needed, particularly where lambs are not performing as expected and nutrition is adequate. It is also important not to ignore clinical signs, as worm egg counts can sometimes lag a few weeks behind the challenge or infection. Where lambs are ill-thriving or deaths occur, post-mortem examinations can be a valuable way to understand what is going wrong and guide the most appropriate action.
