Deadly sheep disease alert issued

Liver fluke has been confirmed as the cause of death among the sheep

Farmers have been urged to take steps to protect their sheep after a rise in rates of a potentially fatal disease.

The alert has been issued by Scottish Agricultural College investigation centres in Ayr and Dumfries where sheep from 11 farms were examined last month.

Tests have confirmed acute liver fluke disease as the cause of death among numerous sheep in south west Scotland.

A spokesman said it was likely that sheep on many farms were at risk of contracting the disease.

The recent deaths came despite flukecide treatments being given to the animals in October.

The SAC said the size of the immature flukes recovered from affected livers suggested that wet and mild weather had allowed large numbers of fluke cysts to accumulate on pastures from mid-November.

This form of the disease can cause sudden death in sheep due to severe liver damage.

Tiny worms

Affected sheep show signs of dullness, hanging back and gut pain.

Farmers have been warned to treat sheep for fluke in mid-January with a product active against immature flukes.

They have also been asked to submit any animals suspected to have died from the disease to SAC centres for post mortem examination.

Liver flukes are caused by parasites that live in the bile ducts within animals, including cows and sheep, and produce eggs which are passed out in faeces.

These develop into tiny worms which can settle on nearby vegetation, forming cysts full of parasite.

Humans can catch the fluke infection when they eat contaminated vegetables. The condition can be chronic but is rarely fatal.