liver flukes

[RanchMan90]

Anyone have experience with liver flukes? How do I troubleshoot them?

 

[Bright Raven]

Flukes are invertebrate parasites that are members of a group called "flatworms". Tapeworms belong to the same group. In contrast most intestinal parasites are round worms. To treat flukes, you must use a parasiticide that specifically targets flukes - in this case liver flukes. For example, if you use Ivomec Injectable- you must use Ivomec Plus.

When shopping for a parasiticide, be sure to read the manufacturer's brochure to determine if it is effective in targeting liver flukes.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Anyone have experience with liver flukes? How do I troubleshoot them?

Yep I have in this environment one symptom looks like swollen jaw.

https://www.beefmagazine.com/health/liv ... -26-states

 

[Bright Raven]

You are in Oklahoma. The distribution map does not show liver flukes in that region. They are in some parts of Texas. They look to be primarily west coast in distribution.

Which raises the question - Why are you concerned about cattle liver flukes? Lucky has stated numerous times that they do not occur here. They are more prone to wet environments.

 

[Caustic Burno]

You are in Oklahoma. The distribution map does not show liver flukes in that region. They are in some parts of Texas. They look to be primarily west coast in distribution.

Which raises the question - Why are you concerned about cattle liver flukes? Lucky has stated numerous times that they do not occur here. They are more prone to wet environments.

Might want to read the link on expansion to 26 states.

 

[Bright Raven]

You are in Oklahoma. The distribution map does not show liver flukes in that region. They are in some parts of Texas. They look to be primarily west coast in distribution.

Which raises the question - Why are you concerned about cattle liver flukes? Lucky has stated numerous times that they do not occur here. They are more prone to wet environments.

Might want to read the link on expansion to 26 states.

Read it. Thanks. That was interesting. But still says they are not prone to arid environments.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You are in Oklahoma. The distribution map does not show liver flukes in that region. They are in some parts of Texas. They look to be primarily west coast in distribution.

Which raises the question - Why are you concerned about cattle liver flukes? Lucky has stated numerous times that they do not occur here. They are more prone to wet environments.

We get cattle shipped all around. CB lives down by the swamps. But they buy cattle down there are haul them to Kansas. It can be a real mess. One of my neighbors at the farm was always wheeling and dealing. He'd put together groups all the time. I had to stay on top of my inoculations.

 

[Bright Raven]

Flukes require an intermediate host - a snail to complete their life cycle. Snails are not suited for an arid environment. That is the factor controlling their distribution.

 

[Bright Raven]

Lucky has stated numerous times: in all his necropsies, he has yet to see a liver fluke in a cow. Or at least maybe only one or two cases.

 

[wbvs58]

When treating for liver fluke make sure what you are using is effective against the early immature stages as well as the adults. An oral drench containing triclabendazole is the most effective. Most of the injections will only do the adults leaving the immature fluke to come through and you are back to where you started.

Ken

 

[Turkeybird]

I had a group of cattle years ago that started looking horrible ,I wormed with injectable , pour on, and oral, with no success(fed them well too). I took fecal and blood samples, fearing it may be jhonnes disease and the results came back (low albium levels ). All the vets I talked too said flukes were not a possibility in my area and it had to be something else,yet I do graze near swamps. I went to tractor supply that day, bought a bottle of ivomec plus and never looked back, the cattle returned to normal looking fat girls and we all lived happily ever after

 

[Bright Raven]

RanchMan90

This is a distribution map of the occurrence of Fasciola hepatica, the cattle liver fluke in the US. The publication is a few years old and this species appears to be expanding.

You will notice Oklahoma has a population along the border with Texas. I suspect that might be a riverine environment.

Edited to add: the map shows endemic distribution. Infected cattle that are relocated to other areas could and probably do spread the disease but for it to continue in those new areas the species of snail that acts as the intermediary hist, would have to be in those areas for the life cycle to continue.

Take fecal/blood antibody samples, then use a parasiticide that includes the proper formula to kill flukes.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Anyone have experience with liver flukes? How do I troubleshoot them?

Seems to be some fluky cattle everywhere. Deer usually get the blame here, but trucking cattle interstate does not help. Serious stocker and feeder operations often use an oral drench during receiving. Some sales reps offer "free" before and after fecal testing.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Interesting that your map circles us but omits the Brazos river valley and the Trinity river too.

 

[Bright Raven]

Interesting that your map circles us but omits the Brazos river valley and the Trinity river too.

Where are you Boogie? Are you in that Oklahoma/Texas border area?

 

[Bright Raven]

Anyone have experience with liver flukes? How do I troubleshoot them?

Seems to be some fluky cattle everywhere. Deer usually get the blame here, but trucking cattle interstate does not help. Serious stocker and feeder operations often use an oral drench during receiving. Some sales reps offer "free" before and after fecal testing.

There is now a blood antibody test that is better. Sometimes the fecal tests shows a "false" negative. Because the fluke is in the larval stage in the liver but the intestines are clear.

 

[Dave]

I lived in one of those epidemic liver fluke areas. I think if you looked up liver flukes in the vet books it had a picture of my pasture. Imovec Plus in the spring and fall. That seemed to hold it at bay. No matter what a person did they were getting reinfected the next day. It was pretty rare to butcher one that had a good liver.

 

[backhoeboogie]

102 miles south. In the Brazos Valley.

Tests cost a lot of nickels in comparison to a dose of ivermectin plus.

 

[cowgirl8]

We had them bad in 2009 and our 2006 second calf cows got them bad.. It was a really wet year, that's when you get them bad. Got them up and wormed them, cant remember with what but it was an injectable.
That 2006 cow group was not long lived. We had around 60.. I think that the liver damage stayed with them even though they were rid of the flukes.
We now make sure we alternate the types of wormings...

 

[RanchMan90]

Been losing too many calves and some look to be drying up. Trying to make sure I'm not missing anything. Had a bunch of small snails wash ashore a main water source. I'm in southeast Oklahoma just north of the river. I buy cattle out of Arkansas and e Texas too.