Beef herds in the northwest of the country have been worse affected by liver fluke this year, with between 67% and 80% of herds in the region having at least one animal with signs of liver fluke at slaughter.

This is according to data from Animal Health Ireland (AHI), based on the 23,700 herds that have been recorded as part of its beef health check programme in 2024 to date.

Sligo and Roscommon were the worse affected. Between 70% and 80% of herds in these two counties had at least one animal showing signs of liver fluke at slaughter in 2024 to date.

This is in stark contrast to the south and east of the country, where a much lower level of liver fluke has been recorded.

In Cork and Kerry, between 20% and 30% of herds had at least one animal showing signs of liver fluke at slaughter, the lowest levels in the country this year, according to the AHI data.

Nationally, of the herds participating in the programme, 39% had signs of liver fluke at slaughter in 2024.

Active infection in one or more animals was seen in 17% of herds this year, compared with only 13% last year.

Cattle numbers

This year to date, health information has been collected from 678,500 cattle by the beef health check programme.

Liver fluke damage was seen in 7% of these animals and live liver fluke parasites in 2% of animals, which is an increase on last year.

Pneumonia was seen in 1.9% of cattle and liver abscesses in 3.8%.

‘High risk this year’

Some 24% of herds have not shown any evidence of liver fluke in slaughtered animals in the last four years.

Beef health check programme manager Dr Natascha Meunier said in the programme’s latest newsletter that it is possible these farms may not need flukicide treatment.

“This should be discussed with your veterinary practitioner. Considering the high liver fluke risk this year, farmers should be cautious to prevent production losses,” she said.

Meunier added that while liver fluke levels have generally remained low for the last few years, this year has seen the first increase since the programme began following the extremely wet 2023/2024 season.

“The liver fluke risk is also very farm-specific depending on the history of fluke on farm, management practices and the number of wet, muddy areas in fields,” she added.