Changing weather patterns and growing anthelmintic resistance has seen fluke control become increasingly problematic for sheep farmers.

Estimates suggest that fluke is now costing sheep producers as much as £30/head in lost performance, treatment, time and mortality.

Speaking at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the National Sheep Association (NSA) this week, Dr Philip Skuce of Moredun Institute outlined how milder winters and wetter summers have seen increasing reports of persistent fluke burdens across NI and Britain.

Growing resistance to Triclabendazole-based products has compounded this problem, given that these products are normally highly effective at killing fluke during the first three weeks of the parasite’s life cycle.

Skuce advised farmers to change the way they use flukicides, stating that routine dosing should give way to compulsory treatment, once there is clinical evidence of a problem.

Routine treatment

Overusing certain flukicides in routine treatment is partly causing increasing resistance. Therefore farmers will benefit from using alternative products with a different active ingredient.

He added that under-dosing animals is just as bad as not dosing at all.

Skuce concluded that to break the overwintering cycle of liver fluke, it is important to kill all mature fluke now to prevent them spreading eggs onto pasture, which will add to the problem next year.

Where possible, keeping sheep off the ground in winter can help to alleviate the problem as will draining, or fencing off wet fields or those liable to flooding.

Chair

Meanwhile, it was a case of as you were at the AGM of the NI branch of the NSA. Campbell Tweed continues as chair, with Brian Jamieson as vice-chair. Ian McDonnell continues as treasurer.

In a short report from the chair, he highlighted how the sheep sector has benefitted from the weakening of sterling relative to euro this year and highlighted the importance of the Republic of Ireland as a source of competition for NI lamb producers.

Any tariffs imposed post-Brexit would undoubtedly have a negative effect on this trade and Tweed called on DAERA to do all it can to retain this market outlet.

The NI branch of the NSA is in a healthy financial position despite a loss of £4,216 in 2016. The total income was £12,905 while expenses amounted to £17,122.

Money in the bank is slightly over £32,500. Income streams are forecast to be higher next year as there will be additional revenue from the bi-annual national sheep event held at Ballymena mart.