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Know How / Parasitic diseases

Find out more about parasitic diseases in cattle and sheep. See alerts for seasonal diseases such as blowfly and fluke. Check symptoms, treatments and prevention for coccidiosis and cryptosporidium in calves, how to test for wormer resistance, take faecal egg counts and control sheep scab.

Advice and tips

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Why you should stop blanket cattle worming and how to do it

Many cattle farmers are still taking a blanket approach to using wormers, which could render them useless while damaging the fragile ecosystem that makes livestock farming viable. This is the…

LIVESTOCK

5 ways to control parasites in dairy goats

Implementing and maintaining effective parasite control strategies is crucial for maximising productivity and ensuring the overall health and welfare of your dairy goat herd. Parasites can significantly affect the wellbeing…

LIVESTOCK DISEASES

Redwater fever in cattle: What it is and how to manage it

Redwater fever is the colloquial name for bovine babesiosis, a disease of cattle. In the UK, redwater is caused by two species of protozoan parasite: Babesia divergens and Babesia major.…

PARASITIC DISEASES

6 top tips for sustainable parasite control

Habitual worming carries several risks. It is costly in time and money, drives resistance and prevents natural immunity to parasites developing. In contrast, responsible worming in cattle and sheep gives…

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Case studies

PARASITIC DISEASES

How goat herd uses targeted parasite treatments

A Gloucestershire goat herd is successfully managing a low parasite risk with a treatment targeted at higher risk animals. The Whitehouse family’s fully housed and zero-grazed herd of 800 British…

SHEEP

How shearing lambs can improve growth and reduce labour

Removing the fleeces of lambs is helping lift growth rates and improve flock management on a Welsh farm. Debbie James reports. Shearing every lamb in its first summer is increasing growth rates by up to 20g a…

PARASITIC DISEASES

Sheep farmer sees four clear benefits of plunge-dipping

Safe and efficient plunge-dipping is a key part of a thorough flock health plan for Northumberland commercial lamb producer Selby North-Lewis. Always a big believer in plunge-dipping, Mr North-Lewis’ flock,…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

How Borders flock is using targeted selective treatments

Selective treatments as part of a responsible wormer programme have seen a Scottish Borders farm slash ewe drenching and keep old actives working. The Logans, who won Farmers Weekly's Sheep…

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Insights

SHEEP

Can sheep be 'worm tolerant' and what are the implications?

Lambs most tolerant to worm burdens could have a 10-day weight gain advantage over less tolerant ones, a pilot study has shown. The study, Breeding for tolerance to worms for…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Why keeping ewes in good condition can help save on wormers

Keeping ewes at a good body condition score (BCS) in the weeks before and after lambing minimises worming requirements at a key point in the year, a new Welsh study…

PARASITIC DISEASES

Gene mapping breakthrough good news for sheep farms

Researchers have taken “a major step forward” in the fight against wormer resistance on sheep farms by mapping the genes linked to drug resistance of the parasitic worm Haemonchus contortus.…

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News

PARASITIC DISEASES

Nematode vaccine funding confirmed for sheep parasites

Funding is flowing into British research institutions to develop an effective vaccine for on-farm worm control as increasing efforts are made to keep chemical options working. The five-year £6m project…

PARASITIC DISEASES

Sheep scab concerns flare around sale season

Renewed vigilance on sheep scab from everyone involved in autumn breeding sheep sales is being called for by Northern Irish sheep leaders, who say the disease is a “real concern”.…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

New project aims to eradicate sheep scab in Wales

Welsh farm leaders have welcomed the announcement of a project that aimes to eradicate sheep scab in Wales. Due to launch in spring 2023, the All-Wales Sheep Scab Eradication Programme will be…

PARASITIC DISEASES

Mild weather sparks nematoditis warning in lambs

Outbreaks of nematodirus on sheep farms in south-west England and the Scottish Borders have prompted a warning to lamb producers against adopting a “wait-and-see” policy on pasture management and drenching.…

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Video

HUSBANDRY

Video: Step-by-step guide to administering cattle pour-ons

Correct use of pour-on products increases the chance of the active drug working and limits drug resistance development. This is according to vet Miranda Timmerman of ProStock Vets, Carmarthenshire, who…

PARASITIC DISEASES

Video: How farmers are uniting to eradicate sheep scab

Sheep scab is a huge problem and if left untreated can affect a sheep's health and severely impact a sheep business. One mite is enough to spread the disease and…

LIVESTOCK

Video: How automated drench gun could cut resistance

Newton Rigg College is one of the first places in the country to be using an automated drench gun, which administers the correct dose of medicine based on the exact…

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