Facial Eczema is caused by animals eating toxic fungal spores.

These spores are most common when grass minimum temperatures are above 14ºC and moisture is available.

There is no effective treatment and control of disease in animals relies on prevention.  Knowing when the risk periods are approaching is key.  The rainfall coupled with warm night and grass temperatures have created the ideal environment for Facial Eczema.  Given the current weather, spore counts will continue to rise.

We encourage all stock-owners to bring two litres of their grass into the clinic for a spore count assessment.  Once counts hit a certain level preventative action can be most effectively taken.

Franklin Vets offers a spore counting service in each clinic to help you assess and predict high risk periods so that you can treat in the most appropriate and timely way. 

Several different treatment options exist and they each vary in price and effectiveness.

Drinking Water	Zinc in Feed	Drenching	Boluses
If animals are being treated via in-water medication ensure that no other water source is available for animals to drink.  Water trough treatment will not protect calves less than 12 months of age or sheep.  Water trough treatment is unreliable in protecting against high spore counts over 100,000.	When using in-feed zinc, ensure that all stock are eating the treated feed in adequate amounts to prevent the effects of Facial Eczema.	This option is labour intensive, but is effective and reliable because you can be sure that very animal gets appropriate protection.	We stock two brands of bolus Face Guard & Time Capsule.  While they are the dearest of the treatment options, they are also very effective and provide reliable protection. They are ideal for calves, yearling cattle, lambs and sheep.

Our friendly staff are trained to help you select the most appropriate treatments for your farming operation.

Click here for regular updates on the area counts.