FG Novartis Article on Winter Parasite Control

8/3/2019 FG Novartis Article on Winter Parasite Control

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18 2011WWW.FARMERSGUARDIAN.COM

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Farmers need to ensurethey have a robustwinter parasite controlprogramme in place.This was the message

from leading UK veterinary par-asitologists during a series of meetings organised by NovartisAnimal Health.

Helen Langham, Novartisproduct manager, says: “Ectopar-asites, whose lifecycles are suitedto the close contact of housed beef cattle, and in particular the re-emergence of a more severe formof mange known as psoroptic

mange, can affect profitability.“Farmers should be alert to thesymptoms and recommendedtreatments for these parasites aswe enter the winter period andalso be aware of the potentially se-rious problem of the endoparasiteliver fluke.”

MangeMiss Langham says mange,caused by mites, has three maintypes; chorioptic, sarcoptic andpsoroptic mange (see panel).

The incidence of bovine psorop-tic mange is increasing. In the firsthalf of the 20th century psoropticmange was the UK’s most com-mon form. The prevalence of par-asites then decreased to very lowlevels before re-emerging in 2007.

Thomas Tiley, professional

services vet at Novartis, says theincrease in psoroptic mange ishugely significant, is somethingthe industry is not fully aware of yet and correct diagnosis followedby rapid treatment is vital.

“Psoroptic mange is caused bythe psoroptes mite, a species sim-ilar to the mite which causes sheepscab. It is mainly found along theback, shoulders and tail head of cattle, causing severe dermatitis,scabs and itching,”says Mr Tiley.

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With the winter period looming beef producers should be alert to the symptoms of parasite problems.He says the disease, which iscommon in parts of continentalEurope, has recently been report-ed in the south west of England.

“This is a clear indication thedisease is spreading. More alarm-ing still is the fact this particularstrain of psoroptic mange is seem-ingly caused by a resistant mitewhich is proving more difficult totreat than the other types.

“Mange is mainly a problemin winter and early spring, and

with the entire lifecycle takingplace on the host, transmissionis usually by direct contact be-tween cattle. Treatments includeinjectable and pour-on 3-MLproducts and permethrin-basedpour ons.”

LiceLice are common in cattle and arealso spread by direct contact. Bit-ing lice are most common, affect-ing the neck, shoulders and rump.

Sucking lice will pierce the skin of cattle and suck blood; in largenumbers this can cause anaemia.

“Using a treatment for both liceand mange control ensures com-plete peace of mind,” says MissLangham. “A licensed treatmentused repeatedly at four weekly in-tervals is recommended and farm-ers should consult their veterinarysurgeon for diagnosis and speak to

a vet for the most appropriatetreatment options.

“All cattle should be treated onthe farm, at the same time if pos-sible, and dosing guidelines shouldbe accurately followed; under-dos-ing can also lead to the develop-ment of treatment-resistant lice.”

FlukeAnother key parasite of impor-tance at this time of year is liverfluke. Mr Tilley says it is especially

important for beef farmers to beaware of fluke, as production loss-es can occur without noticeablesymptoms. He also stresses the im-portance of using a product whichwill kill the stages of fluke presentat the time.

“If you use a product which killsadults only, you may need to waitup to 10 weeks after housingbefore the immature fluke have

developed into adults and suscep-tible to treatment.

“Any cattle infected with flukewill suffer production losses dur-ing this 10-week period; at housingtime, it is therefore advisable touse a triclabendazole productwhich kills all three stages of flukein one dose.”

For mixed farms he advises con-sidering dual species flukicides.

■Mange – All mites causeirritation, thickened scaly skinand hair loss. Evidence alsoshows mite infestation of bullscan affect liveweight gain andfeed conversion efficiency■Lice – Irritation, a roughcoat and a raw appearance tothe skin. The main cause forconcern is the impact onproductivity lice can have,particularly if the animal hasother disease complications■

Fluke – Weight loss, scoursand bottle jaw (a swollenlooking lump under the jaw ofcattle) are some of thesymptoms to look for andcattle are most at risk fromlate August through to winter

Symptoms

■Chorioptic mange – Themost common and mild form ofmange, caused by a surface mitechewing mainly on hair and skinscales, affecting the animal’sneck, legs, hooves and tail head■Sarcoptic mange – Causedby a mite which burrows into the

animal’s skin laying eggs in smalltunnels, affecting the neck area,the loin, the inner thigh and tail■Psoroptic mange – Severe,causing intense itching; bacterialinfections are common and inextreme cases the infectedanimals can die

Mange types

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