![]() The liver will become full of tunnels that fill with blood clots and pus, causing it to disintegrate – this process has the nickname liver rot.īlacks disease is a possibility in unvaccinated sheep infected with liver the fluke. When inside the hosts liver they will grow and start to tunnel through parts of it, the result is catastrophic liver damage. Once inside the hosts digestive system, the fluke will start to migrate to the liver where they first start to cause problems. The host will ingest the cyst by eating contaminated grass or pasture. Once the parasite is a fluke cyst it is ready to enter its host. Eventually, around 6-7 weeks, the miracidia emerge from the snails and proceed to encyst vegetation and pasture. Once the miracidia are inside the lymnaeid snail, they will reproduce and go through several stages of development. These are two reasons that fluke is rare during the coldest, or driest, parts of the year. At this stage in their life the miracidia cannot survive without water, and they will also struggle to develop if the temperature is below 10°. Once hatched they will turn into their next life stage (called miracidia) where they will seek its intermediate host, the lymnaeid snail.Īfter hatching, the miracidia have around three hours to infect a lymnaeid snail before dying. When inside any faeces, the fluke eggs will take around 9 to10 days to hatch. The cycle starts with contaminated livestock faeces that contain the parasites egg. The nominal completed life cycle of a fluke is around 17 weeks. It goes through states before it enters a ruminant and starts to cause problems. Life Cycle of Liver Fluke in Sheep and GoatsĬompared to other sheep diseases, liver fluke has a complex life-cycle with various stages of change. The best way to treat fluke is via prevention and treatment, which are explained below.If your animals graze on wet boggy pasture, or in marshes, they may be at risk.It will kill livestock, in large numbers and sometimes without warning.In some countries 20% of all slaughtered carcasses have their livers condemned because of fluke damage.Īlthough other animals can catch liver fluke it is a particular health problem for sheep and goats, it considered more contagious for these species. ![]() It has a significant impact on farmers in many countries and is thought to cost millions annually in lost productivity in the sheep farming industry. The parasite is often associated with animals that graze in wet and poorly drained areas. Liver fluke (Fasciola Hepatica) is an internal parasite that affects sheep, goats, cattle and other ruminants.
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