Facial Eczema on the rise

Days of warm, humid weather since December combined with warmer than normal sea off the West Coast are the right conditions for Facial Eczema. The tiny fungal spores which produce harmful toxins grow at the base of grass swards and when cloven hoofed animals, (cows, deer, and sheep) ingest the spores, they develop Facial Eczema reports West Coast Vet’s, Laurence Cohen.  This year he says spore numbers are increasing far sooner than in previous seasons.

Laurence Cohen, a large animal Veterinarian, arrived at the West Coast Vet Clinic in 2015. Back then Facial Eczema was considered a North Island issue, and was not seen in the practice however, slowly since then farmers have begun to report more cases due to weather conditions that suit the spores. Five years ago, the first cases began to appear at Mawheraiti, Ikamatua and south of Reefton. The Facial Eczema spores flourish in warm humid conditions.  

Laurence says the practice has been monitoring and counting spores off sample paddocks on three different farms regularly and this week the spore samples were between 5-15,000.  Each year the affected area has become larger and extends further south he says.  Anecdotally, he hears of animals affected by Facial Eczema in the Hokitika area too but no counts have been performed to confirm the diagnosis. When cows eat grass with the spores in, the toxins then attack the liver causing damage. Severe cases cause acute liver failure and can be lethal. Plus, in-calf cows can be impacted up to 6 months later with the stress at calving, and having an already compromised liver.

Signs to be aware of are sunburn like condition, skin peeling, sensitivity to sunlight (animals who won’t leave the shed or shade.)  He says to watch for cows in the early phase when their coat stops looking smooth and appears to stand up on end. He also says there can be variation between farms, as well as paddocks on farms, with some paddocks more likely to be impacted by spores than others. Becoming aware of those sites is a practical way to reduce problems. Laurence encourages farmers to monitor locally and get prepared. If anyone has concerns, they should contact their local Veterinarian for advice.