Schering-Plough has launched Nuflor injectable and Nuflor Drinking Water Concentrate for the prevention of major respiratory diseases in pigs, such as those caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) and Pasteurella multocida.

Ross Kelly, BVMS, MRCVS, UK Pig Team Manager said: "These diseases can rapidly kill pigs, so the increased scope given by Nuflor Injection and Nuflor DWC to rapidly treat infection and now to prevent infection effectively can halt the spread and result in a swift recovery. Combined with good management the negative impact on growth, feed conversion efficiency and overall cost of production can be greatly reduced.”

The wet weather has brought a big sheep scours outbreak in the South East, according to Virbac-sponsored farmdisease.co.uk, the disease monitoring website. Using July information from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), the service says that Gut Worm Scours (PGE) in sheep in the region hit around six times normal levels (compared with the last four years).

Livestock vet Jonathan Harwood of Stock 1st in Sussex, a member of XLVets which supports the website, said: “This summer has turned into parasite heaven. The wet conditions, with no drying out to postpone hatching, have meant high larval survival on pasture, and high uptake by lambs. They have brought forward the normal October peak by a couple of months”. While most commercial farms are so far on top of the outbreak, smaller farmers may not be so fortunate. A particular problem is Haemonchus - the ‘Barber Pole worm’. “The Barber Pole doesn’t alert the farmer through diarrhoea unlike other worms,” warns Jonathan.

In these conditions, Jonathan’s advice is to keep worming until the grass stops growing, and to be on the lookout for resistance to some wormers, like white drenches.

At the WAAVP (World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology) Congress last week, Novartis Animal Health presented what the company describes as promising data on potentially the first new livestock anthelmintic class in 25 years, offering renewed hope for farmers struggling with the devastating economic effects of parasitic worms in livestock.

The new class of parasiticides, known as Amino-Acetonitrile Derivatives (AADs), have a potentially novel mode of action which has shown promising results against all sheep and cattle gastro-intestinal nematodes, including those resistant to existing treatments. While further testing is required, early in vivo research suggests a kill rate of greater than 95 percent in key economically-important nematodes.

The new class has already been recognized by many experts as a potentially significant step forward, with the potential to significantly improve parasite management in livestock.

You can click here for a podcast of the highlights of the presentation which will remain available till 21st September 2007.