What Sheep Farmers Must Know About Sheep Liver Flukes
Liver fluke is one of the leading causes of death amongst sheep. Millions of pounds are loss every year because of the widespread impact of this disease amongst sheep farmers. Aside from that, significant losses in the sheep’s wool quality and productivity, lambing percentage, and poor development rate on lambs as well as poor quality and production of milk. Now, sheep liver flukes are usually passed on the faeces by adult fluke.

When the eggs hatch it is usually separated from the faeces and then into the wet areas. When the young fluke is digested by the sheep it will go directly into the liver capsule of the sheep until it reach full maturity and reproduce once again to repeat this same process. Snails play a huge participation in the development of the fluke because the young fluke stays in them for two to three months because they provide wet and favourable condition that allows fluke to develop stronger before they are released to the grass and be eaten by the poor sheep.
Common Symptoms of Liver Flukes
Symptoms of liver fluke must always be observed because if outbreak happens, it would only take 8 to 10 few weeks for the massacre to happen. It is best to observe this during wet season. Death among sheep is caused by blood loss, weakness and loss of nutrition due to loss of appetite. Here are some of the most common symptoms to look for:
• Jaundice
• Ill thrift
• Abdominal pain
• Anaemia
Treatments for Liver Flukes
It is a good thing that there are known medications given to sheep in order to prevent the spread of the disease and to save the life of your ewes. The treatment for liver flukes depends on the severity of the disease. Some sheep farmer anticipates this, so they inject their sheep with certain drugs that are made to kill the young liver fluke before it enters the body. Now, when using drug treatments for liver fluke disease, it is important to only do it under the supervision of a qualified veterinarian, some drugs are only effective for young lover flukes while other are especially made to combat mature liver flukes.






