More than 20% of UK's cattle livers affected by fluke

More than one in five cattle sent to slaughterhouses in the UK have their livers affected by liver fluke, according to Meat Hygiene Service.

The statistics, which were collected throughout 2009, showed an average condemnation figure across England, Wales and Scotland of just over 20%.

Slaughterhouses in England recorded an incidence of nearly 18%, while more than a quarter of all cattle that went for slaughter in Scotland and Wales had their livers condemned due to fluke.

Figures for individual abattoirs obtained by animal health company Merial, show even more worrying figures, with some abattoirs reporting up to 60% of cattle livers condemned due to liver fluke.

The rise in the number of liver fluke cases is a result of the generally milder, wetter weather experienced in recent years and the movement of infected animals. Areas of the country that were once considered fluke-free have been recording cases of fluke. Furthermore, the fluke season has extended from autumn and winter to a year-round problem.

Research shows that fluke infestation depresses appetite and can also impair the body's ability to convert feed to body mass. Indeed, liver fluke infestation in growing cattle has been shown to depress live weight gain by up to 1.2 kilogrammes/week.

Liver fluke disease remains one of the major health problems facing UK's cattle industry.