Paristology and pestivirus experts will provide cattle, dairy, sheep and goat producers with up-to-date information on intestinal parasites (worms) and pestivirus (also known as bovine viral diarrhoea virus) at the sessions.

They will be held at Club Taree on Tuesday, February 12 , 9-10.30am and 10.45am-12.15pm. 

Another session will be held later in the day at Gloucester Soldiers Club.  

District vet Lyndell Stone said while it might not be a favourite topic among producers, good worm management was crucial to livestock performance.

“Worms in stock may be invisible to most people, but the damage they do to your livestock and bottom line is not,” Dr Stone said.

“Intestinal worms affect weight gain, weaning weight, lactation, wool growth, turnoff time and feed conversion efficiency and can cause death in stock.

“In the current trying conditions worm burdens are often higher than producers expect as cattle are eating closer to the ground picking up larvae.”

The worm control sessions will be delivered by Matt Playford while Lee Taylor will share his tips on preventing pestivirus from impacting beef or dairy herds. 

“The two workshops at Taree will ensure producers have up to date information on which drenches work on which worms and how to use the right drench at the right time.

“Essentially, these are the drenches you need to know about and how to use them,” Dr Stone said. 

The Gloucester workshop will also discuss worm control, with an added session on pestivirus.

“Pestivirus is a common viral disease in cattle, affecting 60 per cent of herds,” he said.

“Pestivirus causes immunosuppression, respiratory disease and can reduce breeder fertility including causing foetal loss and birth defects.

“Pestivirus can be an underlying disease predisposing cattle to other disease issues and ill thrift.

“We are excited to have such expert speakers visit our area, and encourage all local producers to come along to these free informative events.”