VET EMMA Videos

Originally from Devon, in the UK, Emma Holmes is a farm vet who qualified from Edinburgh Vet School in 2001. Alongside her practice work, Emma is a veterinary adviser for NADIS, the National Animal Disease Information Service and a trained TB Advisory Service (TBAS) adviser who works closely with farmers to help reduce the risk and incidence of bovine TB within their herds. In addition, she is a GDP supervisor, supporting and mentoring newly qualified vets as they develop their skills in practice. Outside work, Emma and her partner, Dave, run a pedigree South Devon beef suckler and sheep farm in Cornwall.‍In this blog, Emma explains that now is a good time to look back at the grazing season, check what each group actually needs and make a plan before winter takes hold.

Cattle housing this autumn? Learn when to treat for liver fluke, gut worms, lungworm and lice, with practical parasite control tips for winter.

Learn when pre-housing worming may benefit cattle and how targeted parasite control can support health, growth and winter performance.

Discover gut worm & lungworm control in dairy youngstock. Learn about diagnosis, treatment, and managing wormer resistance for healthy herds. #DairyFarming"

It is important not to forget the potential parasite burden in adult dairy cows – gut roundworms can significantly impact milk production, especially in high-yielding dairy cows, if they are grazed or fed fresh grass. Learn about gut worms in adult dairy cows.

Nematodirus in lambs can strike quickly in spring. Learn the key signs, risk factors, and how to manage outbreaks effectively using a targeted approach.

Nematodirus is a significant and costly disease of young lambs, often with high mortality rates. Read our blog to learn what are the clinical signs of nematodirosis, it's impact, how to diagnose Nematodirus in lambs and treatment and prevention.

Moxodex LA provides season-long parasite control with a single injection. It kills lungworm, gut & stomach worms, lice & mites.

Coccidiosis is an intestinal, parasitic disease of livestock, characterised by weight loss, diarrhoea and ill thrift. It usually affects youngstock between 3 weeks and 9 months of age. It is widespread and present on most farms.

Coccidiosis in lambs can be seen as clinical disease, presenting as lambs with diarrhoea, but also can have subclinical effects. Learn about coccidiosis, the clinical signs, if your lambs are at risk, how to diagnose coccidiosis and treatment.

Worming animals during the dry period has the obvious benefit of minimising milk loss due to withdrawal periods, as well as ensuring animals are parasite free and as healthy as possible at the start of lactation. Learn more about using Albex Gold.

Tribamec Duo can be useful when there is a need for fluke control as well as treatment for gut worms and or lungworm. Triclabendazole – one of the active ingredients in Tribamec Duo - is the only one that treats all stages of liver fluke.

Learn what you need to know about worming cattle pre-housing with Doramax! Doramectin (Doramax) has persistent activity, protecting from the reinfection of gutworms for 5 weeks, and lungworm for 6 weeks.

NEW Doramax Injection · Affordable and Irish-made – as a leading generic manufacturer, Chanelle offers value without compromising quality. · Injectable formulation allows for flexible for use in all weather and at any time of day. · Broad Spectrum Protection

Gut worms are a big problem in sheep, impacting health, welfare and productivity. Here we take a closer look at Moxodex and the active moxidectin, and why it could be a good option for parasite control in your flock.

Rumen fluke is increasingly prevalent in livestock, especially cattle in Ireland. Learn the risks, signs, and control strategies for this growing threat.

What you need to know about worming cattle pre-housing! By using a product with persistent activity, such as Moxodex, treatment can be given four to five weeks before housing. This provides cover for the tail end of the grazing season.

Coccidiosis in lambs how to treat and prevent it! Coccidiosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Eimeria, which invades the cells lining the intestines, causing severe damage and loss of absorptive capacity for nutrients and water.

Liver fluke is a parasite which can infect cattle and sheep. Learn the clinical signs, how to diagnose, how to treat and prevent liver fluke in dairy cattle.

Chronic fluke in sheep is a disease which occurs due to persistent infection with liver fluke, causing long-term damage to the liver. Learn more information on when to treat, what to use to treat, and how to prevent chronic fluke on your farm.

Learn which external parasites can affect housed cattle, management options for lice and mites, treatment options for lice and mites and which external parasites are a problem for cattle in the summer!

Gut worms can be the cause of scouring and/or poor growth in lambs and sheep late in the season. This occurs when sheep graze infective pasture in the autumn and winter and ingest a large number of worm larvae. Don't let winter worms affect your sheep!

Learn about chronic liver fluke clinical signs and diagnosis. Read to learn the impact and clinical signs of chronic fluke, if your farm is at risk, the impact of climate change, and the diagnosis of chronic liver fluke.

The main parasites of concern around housing are those that could have been picked up over the grazing season: gut worms (including Ostertagia); liver fluke; and potentially lungworm. Treatment may also need to cover external parasites of cattle.

Impact of Type II Ostertagia and why farmers need to be aware of it at this time of year. Learn what type II Ostertagia is, what the signs are, how to diagnose it, and how to prevent type II Osteragia in your beef herd.

Learn about when to treat for acute/subacute fluke, what you can use to treat it, and how you can prevent acute/subacute fluke on your farm. To avoid unnecessary or incorrect treatments for liver fluke, it is imperative to use diagnostic tests.

Learn about acute and sub-acute liver fluke (fascioliasis) in lambs – clinical signs and diagnosis. Liver fluke, caused by Fasciola hepatica, is a significant disease affecting all ages of sheep and cattle in the UK.

Wormer resistance is an increasingly significant problem in the UK sheep flock. Various UK-wide studies looking at the level of wormer resistance in sheep have shown alarming results. The level of resistance to the different wormer classes varies across farms.

Discover effective treatment and prevention strategies for gut worms in beef youngstock to reduce the development of resistance. Learn about different worming options, correct administration techniques, and additional treatments that may be necessary. Gain ins

Gut worms in beef youngstock – which worms are a problem and how to diagnose them

Discover the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE) caused by gut worms in lambs. Learn when to worm lambs, how to choose the right wormer, and strategies to combat wormer resistance. Stay informed to ensure successful worm control in your

Discover the signs and impact of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE) in lambs caused by gut worms. Learn about prevention, management, and treatment options. Stay informed about the latest updates on gut worms in lambs. Last updated June/2023

Chanelle Animal Health has added a new combination product to its range, a worm and liver fluke drench. Tribamec Duo contains ivermectin & triclabendazole and it is available in 3 pack sizes – 1L, 2.5L and 5L.The product has indication

A question we often receive is "how soon animals can get coccidiosis?" There are important differences between lambs and calves in this regard.

Ciarán outlines the importance of puberty onset in heifers when operating in seasonal milk production systems. He touches on how our technical advice on breeding feeds back to basic biological mechanisms.

Our Specialist explains how anti-coccidial drenches work, which drenches to use and how to use them

In this vlog you will get a chance to meet our cattle and sheep farmers. Find out the farming system they use and the steps they take to prevent coccidiosis.

With Coccidiosis becoming more prevalent on farms, our specialist discusses the top farm management tips to help prevent the disease.

Our Specialist explains what coccidiosis actually is, what causes it and why it can be such a serious problem for cattle and sheep farmers.

A common complaint we receive is calves exhibiting coccidiosis or scour symptoms in the weeks post turnout. In this blog we explain how to manage the coccidiosis aspect of this and also spot when it might not be coccidiosis causing the symptoms.

In this weekly vlog Ciaran discusses the most important weapon we have in the fight against coccidiosis.

In this article we outline some sample plans for parasite treatment at housing time, including diagnostics. Plans are designed with different farm types and scenarios in mind.

We look at practical rotation of cattle wormers during the season and explain how it minimizes the development of resistance.

Chanelle Pharma is adding a new wormer active ingredient to its cattle anthelmintic range. Doramax pour-on contains doramectin and is available in three pack sizes, all automatic drenching gun-compatible.

In this article we examine where Doramax Pour-On would fit into parasite management strategies on dairy farms.

In this article we outline the most beneficial uses and timings for Doramax® Pour-On on beef and suckler farms.

Here, we look at were doramectin broadly sits among the other cattle worming ingredients available on the market currently.

We commonly hear from farmers who're concerned that they've dosed their cattle and the animals are still coughing, or even coughing harder. This most typically happens with clear wormers, and is as a result of worm material being expelled.

Here we look in more detail at dairy cows' immuntiy against lungworm and what exactly a high Ostertagia ODR reading means in practical terms.

We look at lungworm larvae as a cause for coughing in cows this season and in addition, examine what Ostertagia ODR readings from bulk milk samples mean.

In our second video, Glanbia Veterinary Adviser Joris Somers talks about the costs of coccidiosis on a dairy farm - including the hidden ones. He also gives advice on using anti-coccidial drenches, like Dycoxan.

Dairy dry off dosing is the topic for this week's Farm Health First vlog. Ciarán outlines some simple regimes based on a farm's fluke risk. Albex 10%, Tribex 10%, Animec Pour On and Rumenil can all be worked into a dosing plan.

This week on Farm Health First we answer your questions on Albex, the popular fluke and worm drench for cattle and sheep. Ciarán outlines what place it has on beef and dairy farms, the withdrawal periods, dosage rates, doses per pack and timing post-housing.

Ciarán talks about dosing ewes and rams around breeding time for fluke and worms, including some points on when farmers should and shouldn't dose.

Calves born in the spring will now be grazing hard enough to take in worm larvae. Visual symptoms of gastrointestinal worm infection include dirty back-ends (and condition loss in large-burden scenarios).

Ostertagia o. is the main stomach worm affecting cattle. It is also known as the brown stomach worm and adults are around 8mm in length.

A common complaint in the second half of the grazing season, Ciarán looks at why mature cows might be dirty or scouring at the moment and offers some advice and fixes.

We commonly hear from farmers who're concerned that they've dosed their cattle and the animals are still coughing, or even coughing harder. This most typically happens with clear wormers, and is as a result of worm material being expelled.

This week, Ciarán describes how farmers should pick which positive benefit of Animec® Pour-On appeals the most to their farm system.

This week we examine Barbers Pole worm in sheep, also known as Haemonchus contortus. It is a blood sucking worm that doesn’t cause scour. Instead, anaemia is the principle symptom observed.

Ciarán lays out some important facts and dispells myths about Pour-on wormers.

Cattle are more prone to respiratory issues like pneumonia than any other species. Here, Ciarán compares their lung capacity with other animals and talks about stressors than can trigger these lung issues.

In our second video, Ciarán discusses exactly what the presence of eggs tells us about the parasites in the animal. We also go through the process of taking a sample correctly.

In part 1 of 2, Ciarán explains what basic faecal samples in cattle and sheep can detect and what else we can find with other types of preparation and analysis.

Recently, there has been reports of cattle presenting with hoose or husk symptoms. This coughing is likely caused by lungworm. But why are we only seeing problems now, suddenly? Ciarán answers that question here.

This week we look at macrocyclic lactones, more commonly known as clear wormers. What is special about these products versus yellow and white wormers? How do we use them properly while ensuring we build the animal's own natural immunity?

Yellow wormers, or levamisoles, are the second family of wormers for use in cattle and sheep. Here, Ciarán goes through the key points for getting the most from yellow wormers and where they fit in practically.

This week we take a look at the benzimidazole class of wormers, better known as 'white wormers'. Ciarán describes how to use them effectively and the important charactersitics of products in this wormer class.

In out latest blog, we outline the different wormer classes, which parasites the products in these classes can treat and some of the pitfalls to be avoided around identifying wormers.

Why do we dose and move? It's not to shed dead worms - contrary to popular belief. It's to do with resistance and keeping it to a minimum in our parasite populations.

Sometimes, even with the best will in the world, underdosing can happen without a farmer knowing it. This week Ciarán goes through some of the scenarios in which this might happen.

We show you exactly how to calibrate a dosing gun this week. It's a simple task that should be done with every gun at least once annually.

This week we look at the behaviours and signals that a healthy, content calf should display. Stockpersonship is often something we take for granted. It is good to get a refresher and understand why animals exhibit certain behaviours.

Increasing areas of the UK and Ireland are now classified as high risk for the Nematodirus worm based on weather patterns. Lambs born in February and early March are most at risk.

Ian 'Seth' Atrmstrong introduces us to his picturesqe farm on the outskirts of the Lake District. He keeps sucklers and sheep and uses Dycoxan as part of his coccidiosis control strategy.

Ciarán outlines the potential timing of coccidiosis-induced scour symptoms in calves and lambs. There are important differences between the species in terms of when coccidiosis is first expected, with calves susceptible sooner than lambs.

The Coen's are beef and sheep farmers from Lehinch in Mayo. Father Liam, works alongside sons David and Stephen who currently plays gaelic football for Mayo. Here we talk to them about family life and farming.

A single ingested coccidia oocyst can lead to the destruction of 50 million cells in the lining of the intestine. After explaining the process last week, this week we're animating the coccidiosis lifecycle and mechanism by which it damages the gut lining.

What is coccidiosis? Our Technical Specialist, Ciarán Lenehan, explains in this week's vlog. It's a very different parasite to fluke or worms. Drenches like Dycoxan exist, but these are often misused. They should be given before the onset of clincal symptoms.

Liver fluke dosing is not straightforward. There are 3 stages of liver fluke, with the first 2 being most damaging. While all doses will kill stage 3, only certain products will kill the initial two.

The lifecycle of liver fluke in cattle and sheep can be hard to understand. There are three stages in the animal: early-immature, immature and mature and a mud snail is also involved on the outside. Our simple animation can help.

We examine coughing cows in sheds this week - a common occurrence in the weeks post housing. Ciarán looks at the most common causes and talks about when we should take action. Is it lungworm? Could it be your ration? Is it simply environmental conditions?

This weeks Farm Health First vlog looks at scouring cattle and loose dungs after housing. What are the potential causes? Did my dose not work? Do I need to dose them again? Can I use straw to dry them up? Should I remove water?

Introducing our new Farm Health First Dosing Chart. It's a calendar tool that you can tailor to make an annual parasite management plan, based on your specific farm's conditions, needs and preferences. Plan your dosing strategy with better accuracy.

Our latest Farm Health First vlog covers fluke and worm combination products with a focus on Animec Super injection. These are popular at housing. We cover dose rates, when they should/shouldn't be used, picking a needle, follow up treatments and withdrawals.

This week's Farm Health First vlog covers quarantine doses for bought-in cattle. Ciarán outlines a simple three-point plan to help new cattle thrive and prevent the build up of anthelmintic resistance. Albex works well here. Brought to you by Chanelle Pharma.

In our latest Farm Health First vlog, Ciarán talks about the staggering numbers behind a liver fluke infection and touches on how 2018 and 2019 strategies will be very different because of the mild, moist summer we had this year.

Ciarán looks at the active ingredients and products farmers can use to dose beef cattle this back-end.

This week, we’re talking coccidiosis. While it might seem out of season, as housing approaches we are running out of time to stop the disease at source.

Seeing a tapeworm coming out of one of our animals can be a shocking experience. They’re one of the only parasites that we physically see in the flesh while our animal is alive.

We are often told by dairy farmers that they routinely worm cows during the year, regardless of whether symptoms of parasite infection are present or not, and immediately see lifts in yield. Why is this?

There are many things to consider before treating animals. Five are illustrated in the video this week.

There are three wormer classes for use in cattle; white (BZs), yellow (LVs) and clear (MLs). Each class has its own attributes and limitations when it comes to dairy farms.

When deciding on timing between dosing treatments, it’s important to know a couple of things about the products.

A question often asked – “do I go back to where I came from after dosing lambs, or move them to fresh pasture?” When using products with persistent activity, such as those containing moxidectin, the re infection method will not work.

A question often asked – “do I go back to where I came after dosing lambs, or move them to fresh pasture?” When using products with zero persistency, like Albex, Chanaverm, Animec Oral, Zerofen or Bovex, advice is to...

Before dosing sheep with an oral white or clear wormer, best practice is to have a 24-hour fasting period. This optimises absorption in the stomach. However, if it cannot be done for a full 24-hour period it is probably not worth doing at all.

Nematodirus is unique as gastrointestinal worms go, as the larvae do most of the damage. Symptoms come about after a sudden lift in temperatures following a cold period.