Liver fluke cattle cases rising
The latest figures released by the Food Standards Agency have shown that liver fluke infection is still increasing in British cattle.
While the total percentage of livers that showed confirmed signs of liver fluke infection in cattle sent for slaughter in 2011 has only from 21.7% in 2010 to 22.2% in 2011, the figures nevertheless demonstrate a continual upward trend.
Wales has the highest amount of cases, with Scotland second and England with the least, but there has been an increase in cases across all three countries.
Veterinary advisor Fiona MacGillivray commented: "While Scotland and Wales have reported more than one in four cattle having livers affected by fluke for the past two years, figures for England have also increased, such that we seem to be heading towards one in four cattle having fluke-affected livers across Britain."
It should be noted that the UK has just had the wettest April on record and that wet weather exacerbates liver fluke. However, figures from the Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (GB) database also show an upward trend in confirmed cases of liver fluke in cattle, with figures since 2001 having nearly tripled.
HMRC has invited feedback to its communications regarding the employment status of locum vets and vet nurses.
