FEEDBACK from cattle farmers during the 2016 grazing season suggests lungworm (husk) disease outbreaks are becoming more prevalent and unpredictable.
An independent survey last year found that 40 per cent of 202 dairy farmers interviewed had heard cattle coughing at grass. A third of milk producers (35 per cent) said that they had had lungworm confirmed in their stock at some point over the past three years.
More concerning was the age group spread for the lungworm incidence. As might be expected, half the disease outbreaks were reported in dairy young-stock during their first grazing season, but 40 per cent occurred in second season grazers and even 38 per cent in adult cattle.