Fluke

The Department, in collaboration with Met Éireann, UCD, Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland, has advised farmers of the predicted risk of disease caused by liver fluke infection in livestock.

On farms that are housing cattle later than normal, this should be factored in to your choice of fluke product and when animals will be dosed.

This is according to data from Animal Health Ireland, based on the 23,700 herds that have been recorded as part of its beef health check programme in 2024 to date.

We take a look at Met Éireann’s forecast for this weekend, as well as previewing this week’s management notes.

Farmers should not become complacent due to fluke burdens being lower than usual in recent years.

With a challenging summer, parasite burdens must be kept to a minimum as stock begin to head indoors to prevent a serious falloff in liveweight gain. Martin Merrick reports.

This week Adam Woods takes a look at housing heavy cattle, keeping weanlings thriving and on target weight gains, and grazing excess grass with sheep.

The long running veterinary medicine bill was signed last year, but the statutory instrument to effect change was signed last week.