05/03/2023
04/03/2023
08/02/2023
Distracted dog owners who believe their pets would never attack farm animals are putting sheep at risk of fatal injuries, new research has revealed.
NFU Mutual’s latest survey of over 1,100 dog owners has found that despite 64% admitting their dogs chase animals, almost half (46%) believe their dog was not capable of injuring or killing livestock.
Many said they were unaware that even if their pet doesn’t make contact with a sheep, the distress and exhaustion caused by being chased can trigger a pregnant ewe to die or miscarry.
Owners said they were also unaware that young lambs can become separated from their mothers, according to NFU Mutual's research, released today (7 February).
Nearly two thirds (64%) said they let their dog roam off-lead in the countryside, but almost four in ten (39%) admit that their pets do not always come back when called.
The reality of some dog owners’ failure to control their pets is evident in the latest figures based on claims data from NFU Mutual, which estimates dog attacks on UK farm animals cost £1.8m in 2022.
In England, the Midlands was the worst-hit region by cost, with dog attacks on livestock costing an estimated £313,000, followed by the South West (£273,000).
Hannah Binns, the insurer's rural affairs specialist, said farmers are living in fear of repeat attacks, which can traumatise their families as they deal with the aftermath.
“We’ve heard reports from farmers that dog walkers are becoming more distracted, often on their mobile phones with their pets out of sight and are seemingly unaware of the carnage their dog could cause.
“The pandemic saw a boom in dog ownership as many people purchased puppies for the first time, yet these may not have been trained properly or be familiar with farm animals.
“It is concerning that these now fully-grown dogs will be visiting farmland as we get into spring at a time when pregnant ewes and newborn lambs are vulnerable."
She added: “We are calling for owners to be responsible and accept their pets, however friendly, are capable of chasing and attacking farm animals and should be kept on a lead when walked anywhere near livestock.”
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The recent cold snaps have not been enough to remove the risk of fluke cattle and sheep, industry experts have warned.
Cases of disease due to liver fluke have remained relatively low so far this winter, but there are reports of both acute and chronic disease in some areas of the UK.
This means livestock farmers must not drop their guard, experts in the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainably (COWS) groups have warned.
Philip Skuce, who sits on both groups and is part of the animal health firm Moredun, said testing was critical to make sure farmers did not treat too soon or get caught out and miss a vital treatment.
"The cold snap in December will not have killed off all the liver fluke on pasture, so animals could still be picking up infection that could go on to cause disease," he said.
"Livestock farmers must continue to test if they are to ensure any treatment is both necessary and given at the right time and with the most appropriate product.”
Diagnostic reports from the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) underline the value of using blood testing for fluke in sentinel lambs or calves.
In September and October, less than 1% of the animals tested were positive, showing the majority of farms did not need to treat at that stage.
Heather Stevenson, a vet with SRUC, explained: "This rose to 10% by mid-November and 13% in December, which is still a small proportion of farms and highlights the potential to treat unnecessarily or too early if traditional timings are followed.
“In January, 30% of samples tested for coproantigen (a faecal test) were positive, which underlines the need to keep checking sheep that have not yet been treated.”
John Graham-Brown, from the University of Liverpool, stressed how important it was to repeat testing until the risk period is over.
"A negative test does not mean you can sit back and relax," he said, "Plan to repeat tests in three to four weeks’ time to make sure you don’t get caught out.”
This is echoed by Rebecca Mearns, vice president of the Sheep Veterinary Society and vet with Biobest, who said some faecal samples were testing positive for fluke eggs this winter.
"But with infections tending to be later, farmers must not assume one negative test means there are no liver fluke, it may be because the fluke are not mature enough to lay eggs.”
What's the advice?
Experts in the SCOPS and COWS groups have issued advice to farmers:
• Ewe lambs or retained store lambs can still be blood tested to monitor liver fluke infection.
• A negative test does not mean you can sit back and relax. Retest every 3-4 weeks.
• Investigating unexpected deaths via a post-mortem remains a key means of establishing whether or not liver fluke is present in the flock/herd.
• If you have already treated for liver fluke but the animals remained at grass, they are at risk of reinfection. Make sure you test using faecal samples.
• Now is a good time to test housed beef cattle (once they have been inside for 10-12 weeks), before they go back out onto pasture. Check for eggs in dung or use a copro-antigen test.
• Faecal testing for liver fluke eggs only detects the presence of adult fluke, not immatures, so you may need to re-sample
• Abattoir feedback is a really valuable source of information with regard to liver fluke infection.
• Talk to your vet or adviser to discuss whether any treatment is necessary and which product (active) to use.
