23/09/2025
With autumn well underway and a lot of moisture around, now is a critical time to be thinking about Liver Fluke in your sheep. This isn't just a minor irritation; it's a serious threat that can significantly impact the health and productivity of your flock, and even lead to sudden death. ๐
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Continuous Exposure: Unlike some other parasites, sheep often have no break in their grazing cycle, meaning constant exposure to potentially infected pastures. A sheep treated today could pick up new infection tomorrow!
Immature Fluke is Dangerous: In autumn, the immature stages of fluke cause the most damage as they migrate through the liver. A heavy burden can lead to severe liver damage, poor performance, and increased susceptibility to other diseases like clostridial disease.
Not All Treatments Are Equal: Many common fluke treatments primarily target egg-laying adult flukes. This means the damaging immature flukes are often left untouched, continuing to cause harm and eventually developing into adults that will lay more eggs.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Target the Right Stage: It's vital to choose a treatment effective against the specific age of fluke you're dealing with.
Avoid relying on the same product over and over
Triclabendazole is unique as it's effective against early immature fluke.
Other products like closantel and nitroxynil are effective on fluke generally over six weeks old.
Mixed Burdens? If you're also dealing with a worm burden, a broad-spectrum combination product like CYDECTINยฎ TriclaMoxยฎ (moxidectin and triclabendazole) can be very effective against both worms (up to 8 weeks) and immature fluke.
Rotation is KEY to Resistance Management: To help reduce the development of triclabendazole resistance, it's crucial to rotate your flukicides. Avoid relying on the same product over and over.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป:
Assess Your Risk: Understand your farm's specific fluke risk based on pasture history, snail habitats, and weather conditions.
Plan: Have a clear treatment plan in place that considers the stage of fluke you're targeting and how you'll rotate products.
Seek Expert Advice: Don't guess! Your local Wynnstay RAMA (Registered Animal Medicines Advisor) is an invaluable resource. They can provide specialist, tailored advice to help you protect your flock effectively.
Protect your flock's health and your farm's productivity this autumn. Stay vigilant, treat strategically, and always consult an expert!
