Liver Fluke

The Cattle Information Service (CIS) recommend that you discuss the best testing options for your herd with your vet, prior to taking samples.

What is Liver Fluke?

  • Liver Fluke is a parasitic infection caused by Fasciola Hepatica.

  • Active migration of the parasite in the cow can cause substantial liver damage and abdominal trauma.

  • This can manifest as poor growth rates/productivity, diarrhoea and wasting.

  • The life cycle of Fasciola Hepatica involves water snails and so is more common in warm and wet conditions typical of Autumn and Spring.

  • There can be a long lag time from infection to clinical presentation of the disease due to the development of the parasite.
    Ref – Abattoir reports in the UK suggest between 72-80% of adult cows have been exposed to Liver Fluke:
    (McCann CM, Baylis M, Williams DJL. Seroprevalence and spatial distribution of Fasciola hepatica-infected dairy herds in England and Wales. Vet Rec (2010) 166:612–7. doi:10.1136/vr.b483)

Diagnosis

  • There are many ways to identify Liver Fluke infection for both diagnostic and monitoring purposes:

    • Individual animal serology/milk testing

    • Faecal testing

    • Bulk milk testing

    • Abattoir reports

    • Clinical suspicion

  • CIS currently provide bulk milk testing for Liver Fluke.

  • Test bulk milk sample to gauge the level of antibodies in a herd and this can be done regularly as part of a herd health scheme.

  • Individual animals can be tested for evidence of infection however some cows may only test positive for a short period following infection.

  • For more information on other test methods and the disease in general please visit: https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/cattle/liver-fluke-control-in-cattle/

Monitor

  • Testing can be performed on a bulk milk sample, and this will give an indication of the current herd status.

  • Repeated testing will help to identify trends and the direction of travel, and can help determine when treatments are necessary.

  • Individual milk/blood sampling of individual animals if clinical suspicion arises.

  • Supportive diagnostics as described above.

Interpretation

  • The test is a rapid screening method that detects the presence of antibodies in milk specific to Liver Fluke (Fasciola Hepatica).

  • The intensity of the resulting solution during the test is measured and is known as the optical density (OD) and is a measure of the antibody concentration specific to Liver Fluke in the milk sample. 

  • The results are expressed as 'percent positivity' (PP), which is the ratio between the OD of the test sample and the OD of the positive control.

    Liver Fluke Bulk / Individual Milk ≤0.30 Negative
    >0.30  Positive
    Liver Fluke Individual Sera (Blood)

    ≤0.30 Negative
    >0.30 - < 0.80 Mild positive
    >0.80 - <1.50 Positive
    ≥1.50 Strong Positive

  • Higher results suggest a greater exposure to Liver Fluke and therefore more disease.

  • Increasing (titres results) over a period of time suggest active exposure to Liver Fluke.

Treatment Protocol: 

  • There are a range of flukicides available on the market, but there are considerable differences in their spectrum of activities and their withdrawal times.

  • Any treatment plan should be discussed with your veterinary surgeon.

  • Herd management strategies should target limiting exposure to infection as a key component of control of Liver Fluke.

Liver Fluke Testing Protocol:

  • A bulk milk sample taken quarterly can be used to establish the current herd situation and more importantly the current trends of infection.

  • This can be taken by your milk recorder, from your routine bulk milk recording sample, and the results will be made available to you on the YourHerd portal.

If you wish to speak to a member of the CIS team call 01923 695319 or email info@thecis.co.uk

 

 

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