As climate change shifts the liver fluke season to later and more unpredictable patterns, early antibody testing offers farmers a way to detect infections within two weeks and time treatments more precisely. Ben is joined by co-host Lesley Stubbings, alongside experts from the University of Liverpool, Flock Health Ltd, and a Lancaster farmer, to explores the benefits of antibody tests and the new on-farm Lateral Flow Test (LFT) for managing fluke risk.
As the trend towards drier, hotter summers and warmer, wetter winters continues, the liver fluke season is shifting, and the time when grazing animals are picking up liver fluke off pasture is tending to be later but also extremely variable between farms.
Lesley and guests discuss how farmers and their vets can use antibody detection early in the liver fluke ‘season’ to pinpoint when (or if) animals have become infected and time any treatment accurately.
Antibodies can be detected from as early as two weeks post infection while faecal based coproantigen or egg detection tests are useful much later in the season when the fluke are more mature inside the animal.
Lesley is joined by Prof. Diana Williams, University of Liverpool, Vet Phillipa Page from Flock Health Ltd and farmer Michael Rhodes from Lancaster. The panel discuss how to use antibody testing and the new Lateral Flow Test (LFT) developed by University of Liverpool which just requires a drop of blood and can be done quickly on farm.
For more information on SCOPS visit www.scops.org.uk
For our podcast disclaimer see here - scops.org.uk/podcasts/
Host: Ben Eagle
Co-host: Lesley Stubbings
Guests: Prof Diana Williams, Phillipa Page, Michael Rhodes.
Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes on parasite control, diagnostics, and sustainable sheep health.
This episode is supported by: Boehringer Ingelheim; Elanco; Norbrook; Zoetis