By Brian McConnell BVSc MRCVS, Elanco Animal Health, Technical Consultant

As summer progresses, let’s take a look at some of the most relevant parasites in cattle and sheep and how to control them.

FLIES
The warmer weather brings increasing fly populations, and both cattle and sheep can suffer. In cattle, both biting and nuisance flies can cause problems ranging from reduced productivity¹,² to transmission of diseases such as Summer Mastitis and New Forest Eye. Synthetic pyrethroid products, such as Flypor™, can be used to control flies in cattle. Correct application will ensure the best result:

How to use Flypor™ to control flies and lice:

• Apply one quarter of the dose to the top of the head which is one of the areas where flies gather.
• Pour the remainder along the neck and mid-backline.
• Flypor spreads to protect the animal.

In sheep, headflies and blowflies can cause issues with the latter of major concern, causing strike (maggots). Insect Growth Regulators, such as the CLiK™ range, can be applied as a blowfly preventative:

CLIK™ EXTRA

• Protection period of 19 weeks and 40-day meat withdrawal period.
• Most suitable for early season treatment of lambs that will be kept throughout the summer, replacement breeding stock and for adult sheep post shearing.

CLIK™

• Protection period of 16 weeks and a 40-day meat withdrawal period.
• Suitable for medium-keep lambs that stay on-farm between six weeks and four months, or for adult sheep shorn later in the season.

CLIKZIN™

• Protection of 8 weeks and a short 7-day meat withdrawal period.
• Suitable for short-keep lambs, for example farms that finish lambs quickly and require a short meat withdrawal, or in ewes pre-shearing on farms with a high blowfly risk.

The whole CLiK range benefits from patented FleeceBind™ technology, which allows the product to spread and bind, giving full fleece protection to minimise the risk of strike. It is important to take a holistic approach to managing flies, including prompt removal of deadstock, management of wounds/infections that attract them, as well as dagging/ crutching of sheep. Some farms are also implementing biological control.

Early application of preventative treatment, such as CLiK, is important to help stop the first wave of flies from breeding which in turn reduces fly numbers later in the season. To help decipher blowfly risk in your area, sign up to Blowfly Watch to get localised risk alerts: https://bit.ly/blowfly-watch-signup 

FLYPOR™
4% w/v pour-on solution contains 4% w/v permethrin. Legal category: POM-VPS.

CLIK™ EXTRA
Pour On contains 65mg/ml dicyclanil indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike on sheep caused by Lucilia sericata or Wohlfahrtia magnifica. CLiK™ Pour On contains 50mg/ml dicyclanil and is indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike on sheep caused by Lucilia sericata or Wohlfahrtia magnifica. CLiKZiN™ Pour On contains 12.5mg/l dicyclanil and is indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike on sheep due to Lucilia sericata. Legal category: POM VPS. ZOLVIX™ 25mg/ml oral solution for sheep contains monepantel. Legal Category: POM-VPS in the UK. Advice should be sought from the medicine prescriber prior to use. Prescription decisions are for the person issuing the prescription alone. Use medicines responsibly www.noah.co.uk/responsible.

GUTWORMS IN SHEEP – PLAN NOW FOR LATE SEASON DOSE
Another important group of parasites in sheep are gutworms. Once again, a holistic approach should be applied to managing gutworms, aiming to avoid high levels of challenge in lambs. To ensure treatments are justified and timed correctly, we should be making the most of our monitoring tools – including Faecal Egg Counts (FECs), Daily Liveweight Gains (DLWG), SCOPS Nematodirus forecast, weather patterns and visual assessment of our animals. As resistant worms survive treatments and build up throughout the season, it is important to utilise a 4th or 5th class wormer, such as Zolvix™ as a Break Dose; this should be given to lambs in the mid-late season – not only to benefit the individuals treated, but also to help slow the development of resistance to other classes of wormer on the farm. 4th and 5th class wormers can also be utilised at quarantine on all incoming stock, either newly purchased or returning sheep (see SCOPS quarantine guidelines for Gold standard recommendations).