Why test for Facial Eczema?
A Faecal Spore Count (FSC) gives an indication of the number of spores an animal has ingested. This enables you to manage/treat your animals relevant to the number of spores being ingested.
A Pasture Spore Count (PSC) gives an indication of the number of spores present on the pasture. This allows you to make grazing/management decisions based on the number of spores that animals could potentially have access to on the pasture.
Take the guesswork out of your management
There is NO treatment for FE, there are however preventive measures which can limit the effects of FE on your animals. These include zinc supplementation, grazing management, and breeding for increased tolerance. To ensure you have the best visibility of spore counts on your property utilise the PSC and FSC to inform your management practices.
Reduce ingestion of spores
Monitoring with FSC’s can give an indication of levels over a given period of time. Ingestion of high spore counts, or prolonged ingestion of low/medium spore counts will result in substantial decline in animal health, including:
- Substantial liver damage
- Loss of production
- Reduction in fertility
- Decrease in animal longevity
- Blistering skin lesions
- Diarrhoea
- Loss of appetite
- Potentially death
Understand the spore challenge on each paddock
Affected animals need to be taken off infected pasture and placed in a location with plenty of shade, feed, and water. Use a pasture spore count (PSC) to ensure you are placing them in a paddock with low spore challenge and minimal dead matter or utilise crops such as chicory, brassicas, or clovers.
Minimise overuse of zinc
Zinc supplementation can be used to reduce the incidence and effect the toxin has on the animal however it is not 100% effective. Zinc supplementation can be given via drench, capsule, in feed or as a water-soluble treatment. A zinc supplementation programme should begin prior to spore levels rising and should continue until they have dropped off.
Use PSC and FSC to gauge when levels are rising or falling and to minimise overuse of zinc. The zinc itself can be harmful when used for a prolonged period, so ensure you are targeting treatments to when spore challenge is
high.
Get started with a FECPAKG2 Test Kit
Getting started with your own Test Kit is simple. You can grab yours from selected Farmlands stores across the country, or get in touch below.