Liver fluke roadshow in Westray

One of Scotland’s growing sheep health problems will be looked at, at an event to be held in Westray on Wednesday.

The meeting is part of a series of events being organised by the SAC, which will be held all over the Highlands and Islands, to help producers adopt simple solutions for combatting liver fluke.

The SAC’s local agricultural assistant, Susan Pirie explained: “There certainly seems to be an increase locally in fluke. A local butcher told me recently that there is now more fluke being detected in lambs, with an especially high incidence earlier this year. What is perhaps more worrying is that it is being found not just in the small, thinner lambs but also in big, heavy, prime lambs.”

The first half of the event will take place at the Old Kirk on the island where presentations will be given from SRUC vet Franz Brulisauer and Liz Flett from Flett and Carmichael.

Then attendees will then head to Nistigar Farm for a ‘guess the weight of the ewe’ competition, to ascertain if they are giving the right amount when dosing their sheep. Pasture policy after dosing will also be discussed.