Smallholders Worm Advice Service
cows
&PARASITES
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From 'House Cows' providing the family's milk to rare breed stud bulls, cattle form a key role on the smallholding. But there is a world of parasites in your grazing keen to infect your precious cows.
Good parasite control can increase the quality of cows you sell, improve their growth & feed conversion rate and substantially increase their milk yield. Over-do your wormer use and you'll just breed resistance.
Recommended cow FEC testing frequency: every 3-4 months
Optimum Schedule: Jan-Feb, May, Aug-September
Plus: mum & calf at 3-6 weeks old for coccidia
Cost of WEC test: £14.50 up to 5 samples
This can be a mix&match of species across the farm
ascarids
aka the Roundworms:
Ascaris suum
SYMPTOMS
Stunted growth
Coughing
Weight loss
Intestinal obstruction
Jaundice & liver failure
Low kill weight & rejected livers due to 'milk spots' - white scars from larval migration through the liver & the lungs
WHIPWORM
aka Trichuris suis
SYMPTOMS
Stunting
Bloody, mucoid diarrhoea
Rectal prolapse
Low kill weight, very poor feed conversion rates
Nodular Worm
aka Oesophagostomum dentatum
SYMPTOMS
Nodules in the intestines
Poor body condition
Diarrhoea
Condemnation of the intestines at abattoir
coccidia
aka Coccidiosis:
Eimeria, Isospora
SYMPTOMS
Mainly affects piglets:
Diarrhoea (often pasty)
Blood & mucus in faeces
Skinny
Permanent gut damage
Healthy adults will often have coccidia in their faeces - interpret positive samples with care before using a coccidiostat
ROUNDWORMS
aka the Nematodes:
Ostertagia (the brown stomach worm), Trichostrongylus axei (the small stomach worm), Cooperia, Oesophagostomum (the nodular worm), trichostrongylus colubriformis (hair worm / black scour worm)
SYMPTOMS
Diarrhoea
Lower milk production
Poor condition
Slow growth rate
Midline or jaw oedema
Death
Pale membranes due to anaemia
Eyelid membranes will go pale or white with anaemia
Pale membranes due to anaemia
haemonchus
aka Barbers Pole Worm:
Haemonchus contortus
SYMPTOMS
Anaemia
Weight Loss
Lethargy
Sudden death
Normal Poos
Segments passed in poo
Segments passed in poo
tapeworm
aka the Cestodes:
Monezia, Thysanosoma
SYMPTOMS
Look horrible when wriggling out - but surprisingly harmless!
Heavy burdens in calves cause:
Anorexia
Reduced gut motility
Gut rupture & peritonitis
Blood or mucus in faeces
coccidia
aka Coccidiosis:
Eimeria
SYMPTOMS
Mainly affects calves:
Diarrhoea (often pasty)
Blood & mucus in faeces
Skinny & weak
Abdominal Pain
Permanent gut damage
Healthy adults will often have coccidia in their faeces - interpret positive samples with care before using a coccidiostat
Seasonal changes
lifecycle
infected liver on the left
Seasonal changes
LIVER FLUKE
aka Fasciola:
Fasciola hepatica, Fascioloides magna
SYMPTOMS
Anorexia & depression
Weakness & dry faeces
Increased respiratory rate
Ascites (belly fluid)
Colic
Sudden death
nasal discharge
worms in trachea
runny nose
nasal discharge
LUNGWORMS
Dictyocaulus viviparus
SYMPTOMS
Young Animals:
Cough, blue membranes (cyanosis), difficulty breathing
Adults:
Cough
Nasal discharge
Increased respiratory rate
Poor condition
Weight loss
cysts form around the organs
cysts form around the organs
whipworm
Trichuris ovis
SYMPTOMS
Mainly asymptomatic
large numbers rarely cause haemorrhage into the caecum:
depression, collapse, aneamia, sudden death
yellow pasty diarrhoea in very young lambs
yellow pasty diarrhoea in very young lambs
nematodirus
aka Nematodirus battus, Nematodirus filicollis
SYMPTOMS
Mainly a problem in lambs, but cows can be a host and infest grazing intended for sheep