What the Fluke!
Liver fluke (Fasciola Hepatica) has been a problem on farms in the UK for centuries and can present in three forms: Acute fasciolosis (severe form), sub-acute (not as severe) and chronic fasciolosis (a slower wasting form). Which form occurs depends on the number of fluke larvae ingested and the period of time this occurs. The acute form is rarely seen in cattle but sometimes present in calves. It is more commonly seen in sheep. Sheep often present as suddenly dying or being dull with reduction in grazing. In cattle it may present as: weight loss, poor production, prolonged diarrhoea, anemia and submandibular edema (bottle jaw). The Chronic form may go unnoticed on farms, causing production losses: reduced milk yield, reduced growth rate and poor reproductive performance. The overall impact of Fluke is estimated to cost the UK agriculture industry £300 million annually.
When are my livestock at risk? The Fluke life cycle depends on temperature and rainfall so can vary year to year. Generally, the larvae are present on pasture from late summer to early spring with acute (severe) disease being seen in late summer/autumn time and the chronic disease in winter/ spring.
How do I know I have fluke on my farm? A variety of tests are available and discussion with your vet is key to which test is suitable. A brief overview of the tests available:
A test on dung samples called the faecal coproantigen test can detect fluke two to three weeks before eggs start being shed.
Faecal egg counts may also be used, however, they only detect the presence of eggs in the faeces.
With immature fluke (which will not produce eggs yet) also causing disease it may not be suitable. Fluke eggs can also be accumulated in the gallbladder for many weeks so even if the faecal egg count is negative, it does not mean the animal is fluke free.
The fluke antibody test is specific for exposure to immature and adult liver fluke. It can be very useful in first grazing livestock. It takes two to four weeks for detectable antibodies to be produced. It can be used for individual animals or for herd monitoring such as in dairy herds with bulk milk samples. This can be used to monitor if the fluke control plan is effective with antibody titres decreasing after each year it is in place.
Abattoir data can also be useful to show if there is fluke on farm. Additionally, if any animal is sent for a post-mortem the liver will be investigated for signs of fluke.
There are a variety of flukicides on the market and it is key to understand the differences. There is only one flukicide on the market that kills all stages of liver fluke: Triclabendazole. However, due to widespread use of this product it is believed to have led to resistance, meaning it has a reduced or no effect on fluke numbers. Not all farms will have resistant fluke but it is important to be aware that it does exist. When buying in stock it is important to understand that they may be carrying triclabendazole resistant fluke. A suitable quarantine protocol should be in place to minimise the risk of it being introduced to pasture. There are other flukicide products available, but they only kill flukes of a certain age. For example: Nitroxynil fluke products (Trodax, Fascionix) will only kill fluke aged 8 weeks onwards and will therefore require a second dose 6-8 weeks after the initial dose. Deciding when to dose is also important: with high fluke larvae present on pasture in late summer you should treat them once most of the fluke has reached an age that the flukicide would be effective against. If using a product such as Nitroxynil this would be 8 weeks after the larvae have been ingested, around housing time and then dosing again 8 weeks later around Christmas time (this would be for a moderate fluke burden). Each fluke product will have this written on the packaging but a discussion with your veterinarian about what product to use and when is advised.
Controlling the environment is also key to controlling fluke. The fluke life cycle is dependent on an intermediate host: the snail. This means that without the snail being present, the lifecycle cannot be completed. Exclusion of the snail’s habitat can reduce pasture contamination. This can be done by drainage and/or fencing off areas of wetlands. Interestingly, waterfowl such as ducks can control the snail numbers by eating them. Ducks are used for a similar reason in India to protect the paddy (rice) fields from insects.
Rory Jack MRCVS
Useful resources:
Sheep Fluke:
https://www.scops.org.uk/internal–parasites/liver–fluke/detection–treatment–and–control/
Cattle Fluke:
https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease–a–z/cattle/liver–fluke–control–in–cattle/
Heart disease in cattle
There are several causes of heart disease in cattle, some more dramatic in presentation than others. Very occasionally, we see calves with heart defects from birth which can be heard upon clinical exam and confirmed with our ultrasound scanner. More often however our patient is an older cow, off feed and off milk. In the later stages of heart disease these animals lose weight, develop fluid under their chin and may develop a jugular pulse. With any sick animal we encourage our clients to contact us ASAP and heart cases are a good example of where early intervention is the only hope. By using our stethoscope, we can detect whether there is an issue with the valves of the heart (will hear a murmur) or whether there may be a previously consumed wire penetrating the sac around the heart (will struggle to hear the heart at all). In early cases we may be able to remove a wire either using a magnet or via surgery and treat infected tissue with extended courses of antibiotic and painkiller.
Urinary Tract Disease in cattle
Infections of the kidneys, bladder and other related structures are somewhat underdiagnosed in large animals. Acute conditions may be easily spotted by discoloured urine or abdominal pain, however more often these are chronic cases resulting in poor detection and prolonged suffering and loss of production. At Farm Vet Services as part of our routine clinical exam (where appropriate) we will perform urinary catheterisation allowing on farm analysis of urine. Each vet is also equipped with an ultrasound scanner allowing visualisation of the lower urinary tract to ensure no sick animal is left untreated.
A regional disease of the urinary tract we see in Tyrone and Fermanagh is Redwater (Babesiosis). We tend to treat the disease based on pasture history and clinical signs (dullness, anaemia, fever and red tinged urine) however a definitive diagnosis requires a blood smear being sent to the lab. At Farm Vet Services are stocked with pyrethroid products to help reduce environmental tick load, as well as Imizol, the only available cure for the disease. In severe cases our vets are equipped to provide more aggressive treatment such as a blood transfusion.
Calvings
At Farm Vet Services we are happy to offer a 24/7 out of hour service to assist our clients with difficult calvings, as well as caesarean sections as required. Calving cows is one of the best parts of the job however we understand sometimes things go wrong and offer a wealth of experience in dealing with these cases, such as calving injuries, tears and bleeds.
In both our branches we are fully stocked selling all the equipment needed for calving season, such as gloves, lubricant, ropes and even a range of calving jacks. When expecting a calf, we recommend farmers are stocked with colostrum, iodine, vitamin E and steroid to help the calf get going in its vital first few hours. If concerned about a tight calving, particularly with maiden heifers, we recommend stocking some oxytocin (licensed to assist with post-calving bleeds) as well as some form of painkiller to keep the cow comfortable, ensuring she can focus on being a good mother.
Lameness
We provide a range of preventative and therapeutic medicines to help reduce lameness in the herd. These include vaccines for bacterial causes of lameness such as foot rot, as well as anti-microbials and anti-inflammatories to help keep the animal comfortable.
Our Vets are highly experienced in foot pairing and their vans are equipped with all the usual equipment. We do not yet offer on-site facilities for foot pairing however will strive to help our clients with the individual animal needing emergency treatment.
Scrapie Genotyping in Sheep
Between 2000-2014, 56 Sheep in Northern Ireland have been confirmed to have Scrapie. Scrapie is an incurable neurological disease of sheep (and goats) that has been present in the UK for centuries. The disease gets its name from the clinical presentation of constantly scratching (as well as ill thrift and other behavioural changes). It is most commonly spread from mother to offspring however may also be spread via the milk or cuts in the skin. The risk to humans is not fully understood.
The Northern Ireland Scrapie Plan (NISP) is currently voluntary, however aims to eliminate the disease by reducing the number of cases as well as increasing genetic resistance. We can help with the latter aspect by taking a blood sample from your sheep (10ml EDTA) and sending it to the lab in Scotland for Genotype Testing. Participation in the Scrapie Monitored Flock Scheme (SMFS) is also voluntary however serves as a pre-requisite for breeding flocks for trade between communities (including the Republic of Ireland).
Post Mortem Examinations
At Farm Vet Services we are passionate about evidence based Veterinary Medicine and are keen to offer advice to our farmers when it is appropriate to send carcases to the Lab (AFBI, Omagh). We will contact the Lab in advance on your behalf so that they are prepared for your arrival and will liase with the Pathologists on your behalf to help resolve whatever issue you may have.
In addition to this, our own vets will be happy to perform post mortem examinations on farm if desired (for example when the lab is closed or transport is not available). If a diagnosis is not reached on-farm, we are able to store samples until a time when the lab is able to process them.
James Murray BVMS MRCV
