Due to the mild wet winter which has been followed since by mild and continuous wet weather, there is an increased risk of parasitic worms in grazing animals.
This is according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVLs).
With increased worm burden comes reduced productivity and increased clinical disease and potential deaths in livestock.
Parasitic gastroenteritis, which is commonly caused by the gutworms Ostertagia and Cooperia), is a problem at this time of the year, the RVLs have determined.
RVLs have reported significant issues caused by liver fluke, and on some farms, rumen fluke.
Haemonchus (barber’s pole worm), a parasitic worm formerly limited to the warmer climate of the continent and southern United Kingdom (UK) has been detected this year in the southern half of Ireland, and north of the Dublin-Galway line.
The lifecycle of the worm consists of the larvae of barber’s pole worm, hatching and maturing in faeces on the ground before migrating to fresh grass for intake by grazing animals.
This migration requires warm, moist conditions, and the larvae are quite susceptible to dryness and low temperatures.
Diagnosing parasitic worms
Dependent on the dominant worm or fluke species present on individual farms, clinical signs of parasites in livestock can range from coughing, scour, ill thrift and /or signs of anaemia.
A range of parasites could be involved in these diagnoses, and there is a need to tailor any control programme to the parasitic challenge and production system on individual farms.
It is vital that farmers review their parasite control protocol in conjunction with their private veterinary practitioner to ensure they have a programme tailored to the needs of the farm.
The RVLs have stated it is “vital” that farms review their parasite control measures now, rather than later in the autumn.