Farming

Helping farmers tackle major parasitic disease in livestock

Published

9 months ago

July 27, 2025

IMPROVED guidance and practical tools are required to help farmers to sustainably tackle the major problem of liver fluke infections in livestock, according to new research.

Scientists at Aberystwyth University have spoken in depth to farmers across Wales and say their early findings show there is a lot of uncertainty around managing this parasitic disease which affects the majority of sheep flocks and cattle herds in the UK.

Infections are believed to cost the UK livestock industry up to £300 million a year in reduced productivity levels, increasing mortality rates and veterinary costs.

In addition, there is growing resistance to the drugs used to treat the disease while changes in the climate are creating more favourable conditions where the parasite can thrive.

As part of a three-year project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), researchers are developing new methods of controlling more effectively the parasitic worm which causes liver fluke.

They are pioneering the use of environmental DNA techniques to accurately detect the presence on farmland of mud snails which acts as an intermediate host between the parasite and livestock.

They are also carrying out close analysis of soil conditions on the farm to identify where the mud snail is most likely to live and thrive.

Principal Investigator Dr Rhys Aled Jones, from the University’s Department of Life Sciences, outlines the potential benefits of the research:

“Our aim is to develop sustainable, innovative strategies and provide farmers with better guidance and practical tools so they are better supported in their efforts to control liver fluke, which has become such a major problem on farms across Wales and the rest of the UK.

“If our research can help to control this parasite more effectively, there will be economic benefits through improved productivity as well as environmental benefits. Liver fluke is a harmful infection so there will be benefits too in terms of animal welfare and ensuring animals are healthy is one of the most effective ways of mitigating the environmental impact of livestock production systems.”

As part of the FlukeMAP project, launched in 2023, the University’s parasitologists and veterinary scientists have been working closely with 16 sheep farmers from across Wales.

Their extensive research has included carrying out in-depth interviews with the farmers, conducting comprehensive surveys assessing infection risks across farmland and monitoring infection levels in grazing sheep.

Several common themes have already emerged from analysis of the interviews and data gathered as part of the project, as Dr Gwen Rees from the Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science explains:

“Liver fluke is a complicated disease, and the advice available to farmers from vets and industry is mixed and sometimes conflicting. Not surprisingly perhaps, we found there was a lot of uncertainty, with farmers often unsure about how to diagnose, when best to treat, where might be risky for infection and whether they had a fluke problem or not.

“As a result of their uncertainty around disease risk and how best to manage it, farmers often reported needing to use flukicides as a precautionary measure, but this can lead to flukicide resistance as well as medicine residues in the environment.”

Surveys assessing infection risk areas on farms further highlighted areas of uncertainty as Dr Rhys Aled Jones explains:

“Liver fluke risk is typically associated with wet condition. However, the timing and duration of these wet conditions are critical in determining infection risk. Our research also found strong links between soil characteristics, particularly pH and organic matter and the presence of the intermediate mud snail host which transmits liver fluke. These factors were rarely considered by farmers when assessing risk on land and this highlights a clear opportunity for improved guidance to support more accurate risk assessments.

“Accurately identifying fluke risk areas on farms can support more sustainable control strategies. These include optimising the use of diagnostic tests and treatments, and implementing targeted land and grazing management practices to reduce the likelihood of infection.”

Researchers are sharing their latest findings with an audience of farmers and industry representatives at the Royal Welsh showground on Wednesday 23 July).

Funded by the BBSRC and Aberystwyth University, FlukeMAP is a collaborative research project which brings together key partners including Farming Connect, the Welsh Veterinary Science Centre, the Farmers Union of Wales and Ridgeway Research.

Further information about the project is available on the University’s website: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/rbi/research/research-in-action/helping-farmers-to-fight-liver-fluke/

Farming

Badger Trust urges next Welsh Government to keep non-lethal TB policy

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Charity says Wales should continue science-led approach as bovine TB cases fall

BADGER Trust has called on the next Welsh Government to maintain a science-led and non-lethal approach to tackling bovine tuberculosis.

The charity says Wales should continue to focus on cattle testing, farm biosecurity and support for farmers, rather than wildlife intervention.

According to Badger Trust, bovine TB cases in Wales had fallen by 13.6% by the end of 2025, without any wildlife culling. It said this compared with a 5% fall in England over the same period.

The charity said 5.3% of cattle herds in Wales were not officially TB-free at the end of 2025, down 0.4 percentage points on the previous year. It said 567 new herd incidents were recorded during the year, alongside a 27% reduction in early cattle slaughter.

Badger Trust said bovine TB remains a serious threat to cattle health, but argued that the best response is a cattle-focused policy, including more frequent and enhanced testing, improved farm hygiene, and non-slaughter options for cattle testing positive.

The charity said: “The premature culling of cattle due to a failed bovine TB test is outdated and unnecessary. Instead, strict segregation is an effective alternative.

“The main focus must be on eliminating the reservoir of bovine TB in the national herd in preparation for cattle vaccination.”

Badger Trust also argued that bovine TB can remain dormant in cattle and in the environment for long periods before being detected, which can lead to mistaken assumptions that infection has entered a closed herd from wildlife.

It said the disease can also be spread through contaminated vehicles, workwear, manure and slurry if proper biosecurity measures are not followed.

The charity added: “Focusing on badgers distracts from the real issue, as DNA testing shows that 94-95% of bovine TB infections are transmitted directly between cattle.

“The only effective way to combat bovine TB is to address it at its source: within the cattle population.”

Badger Trust is urging the next Welsh Government to “hold its nerve” and continue with a science-led, evidence-based, non-lethal policy.

Nigel Palmer, Chief Executive of Badger Trust, said the charity wanted Wales to continue “leading by example” in its approach to tackling the disease.

Badger Trust says it welcomes the end of intensive badger culling licences in England in 2026, but remains opposed to presenting badger vaccination as the main solution to bovine TB. It argues that improved cattle testing and stronger farm biosecurity offer a more effective and humane way forward.

The charity also warned that badgers face a separate threat from changes linked to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which it says could weaken protections for badger setts in development areas.

Badger Trust is the leading voice for badgers in England and Wales and works through a network of local badger groups. Its Badgers Belong Here campaign promotes badger protection and public education.

Farming

FUW warns food security must be treated as national security

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Union says rising fuel and fertiliser costs are putting pressure on farmers and food supply chains

THE FARMERS’ Union of Wales has warned that food security must be treated as a UK-wide priority as global instability continues to drive up costs for farmers.

FUW President Ian Rickman and Deputy President Dai Miles met Defra Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Dame Angela Eagle MP in Westminster to discuss the impact of international events on farming, production costs and the resilience of food supplies.

They were also joined by Wales Office Minister Anna McMorrin MP.

The union said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region had added significant pressure to key agricultural inputs and energy costs.

According to the FUW, fertiliser prices, particularly urea and ammonium nitrate, have risen by between 20% and 30% since the escalation of the conflict.

The union is calling for greater transparency around fertiliser stocks and distribution across the UK.

Fuel costs have also risen sharply, with the FUW saying red diesel has effectively doubled in price in some cases. Wider agricultural fuel and energy costs are continuing to rise across the sector, placing further pressure on farm businesses already operating on tight margins.

The union warned that these cost increases are feeding through the entire food supply chain, affecting production, transport, processing and manufacturing, and are likely to contribute further to food price inflation.

The FUW repeated its call for a UK-wide legislative food security metric, which it says should be taken forward by the next Welsh Government in collaboration with the UK Government.

It said food security is a cross-UK issue, affecting all four nations because of the closely integrated nature of agri-food supply chains.

The union also pointed to recent government evidence, including Defra’s 2024 Food Security Report and its 2025 national security assessment on biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.

It said these highlighted long-term risks to food production, including climate change, nature decline, animal and plant disease, supply chain disruption and exposure to volatile global markets.

FUW President Ian Rickman said: “We welcomed the opportunity to meet Minister Eagle and Minister McMorrin, and highlight the continued impact of recent global instability on Welsh farmers.

“Food security is national security, and recent global instability has made that clearer than ever.

“Farmers are facing surging cost pressures, particularly from fertilisers and sharply rising fuel costs such as red diesel, which in some cases have doubled.

“These are forces far beyond their control, yet they directly threaten the resilience of our food system.

“We urgently need a coordinated UK-wide approach that recognises the strategic importance of domestic food production and reduces our exposure to volatile international markets.

“With that must come regular and meaningful engagement between Defra and agricultural stakeholders across the UK, including the FUW, particularly on policy areas that remain reserved to the UK Government.”

Farming

Search launched for Wales Woman Farmer of the Year

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NOMINATIONS are now open for the 28th Wales Woman Farmer of the Year Award, celebrating the vital contribution made by women across Welsh agriculture.

NFU Cymru, together with sponsor NFU Mutual, has launched the search for the 2026 winner of the prestigious award, which recognises the role women play in farming businesses, rural communities and the wider agricultural industry.

Now in its 28th year, the NFU Cymru/NFU Mutual Wales Woman Farmer of the Year competition has highlighted women from a wide range of farming sectors and backgrounds across Wales.

The winner of the 2026 award will receive £500 and a Welsh Royal Crystal bowl.

The closing date for nominations is Friday, May 29. The award will be presented on Thursday, July 23, on the NFU Cymru stand at the Royal Welsh Show.

NFU Cymru Deputy President Paul Williams, who will be one of this year’s judges, said: “The Wales Woman Farmer of the Year Award is there to champion the contribution that women make to farming businesses and wider rural life.

“Over the many years we’ve been holding this prestigious award, we’ve had a variety of winners, all representing different sectors and parts of the farming industry, and we look forward to receiving applications for the 2026 title and celebrating this great award.”

Heather Holgate, NFU Cymru Group Secretary and NFU Mutual Agent, who will judge the competition alongside Paul Williams, said: “For generations, women have played a crucial role in Welsh agriculture, from running farm businesses to leading diversification enterprises to increase farm income, and NFU Mutual is proud to support this award.

“We hope the award inspires other women in Wales to take centre stage and influence farming in the future.”

Anyone interested in entering, or nominating someone for the Wales Woman Farmer of the Year 2026 title, can visit the NFU Cymru website to complete an application form.

Forms are also available from the NFU Cymru office by calling 01982 554200.