Liver fluke on increase as higher rainfall levels raise infection risk

THE risk of liver fluke is high in all areas of the country except for the east and south-east where the risk is moderate, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The Liver Fluke Advisory Group said the higher than normal rainfall in June and September had raised the risk of infection. Further analysis is based on weather data collected during the summer and autumn at Met Éireann weather stations across the country.

Department officials yesterday advised that all bought-in cattle and sheep should be kept isolated and dosed sequentially with a combination of two anthelmintics with different modes of action — eg a macrocyclic lactone and levamisole or monepantal and a flukicide before being allowed to join the main herd or flock.

Farmers should submit faecal samples from a representative number of treated animals (not less than 10) to the Department’s local Regional Veterinary Laboratories at least three weeks post treatment to ensure efficacy of the flukicide used.

Faecal samples should also be collected from a representative number of animals (circa 10) 12 days after dosing and submitted to a laboratory to determine the efficacy of the bowel worm treatment.