Vetwatch:Liver fluke has been causing problems

John Sedgewick, Millcroft Vet Group, Cockermouth, Cumbria

Recently, we have seen a larger numbers of cows with plant poisonings, and subsequent photosensitisation and liver damage, leading to ill-thrift in some and death in others.

However, liver fluke is our main liver problem in west Cumbria and with dairy cattle now largely housed and beef cattle to follow, they will already have ingested their burden. The signs of disease in the form of ill-thrift, scour and loss of production may not be seen till after New Year.

The advice is the same each year and almost all our farms in the mild, damp climate need to treat for this parasite. This presents difficulties on dairy farms as flukicides can only be used in the dry period, which inevitably means many cows remain at risk through the winter.

The climate and relatively stock-dense farms in our region is also conducive to outbreaks of calf pneumonia hence we are busy ahead of that with a drive to encourage farmers to use preventative vaccines.

Bill Main, Belmont Vet Centre, Hereford

In Herefordshire, liver fluke is becoming an increasingly important problem from summer grazing. Infected adult cattle can be asymptomatic, but we often see them in poorer-than-expected body condition with diarrhoea, and only in the later stages getting the bottle jaw.

We have also had an outbreak of Salmonellosis in seemingly healthy non-pregnant beef heifers at grass. A post-mortem revealed significant fluke infection damaging the liver, gall bladder and bile ducts – which provided a portal of entry of the Salmonella into an otherwise healthy body. And last week we even had a case of liver fluke in a donkey.

Therefore, screen your cattle for fluke on housing and when necessary speak to your vet for advice on correct treatments. Also when housing sheep on farm this winter ensure they are given the correct treatment before arrival so as not to infect your snails!

Peter Morley, Shepton Vet Group, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

A long, dry summer and a deluge of rain in August, led to a shortage of first-cut silage and an abundance of wet autumn grass.

Farmers concerned with the quantity of conserved food and prices being quoted for bought-in replacements are looking to keep cows out for as long as possible.

Freshly calved cows are experiencing a greater energy deficiency than normal, which means we are seeing an unusual number of ketosis cases. These though are the tip of an iceberg to a much greater problem.

We all carry cow-side blood ketosis testing kits. All freshly calved cows can be tested and results immediately passed on to the farmer. This proactive approach allows us to head off initial problems with poor milk yield and avoid future fertility problems associated with poor energy intake.

Iain McCulloch Northvet, Orkney

This time of year is a quiet period in the annual livestock cycle. As such, it is a good time to review the past calving season and look forward to the coming housing period – or review the farm health plan, in other words.

We have just about completed 160 or so plans, mostly under the Scottish Land Managers Options Scheme. As well as providing help for the farmer and vet to formulate a vet health and welfare plan for the farm, the Scheme also supports investigation and control of a comprehensive range of endemic problems such as calf scour and pneumonia, lameness, BVD and Johnes Disease. The potential returns from acting on the information greatly outweighs the initial support.

Health planning should be a two-way conversation. I know that I learn more from listening to our farmers than I probably impart to them.