Hafod, Bancyffordd, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire

Focus Site Project: Detection of the fluke infection status of on farm snail habitats as a tool to manage liver fluke

Project aims: 

  • The mud snail Galba truncatula is the key intermediate host for liver and rumen fluke.
  • Specifically, they are seen in areas of wet habitats such as ponds, stream edges, ditches and areas of wet and muddy ground.
  • The liver fluke parasite cercaria life stage leaves the snail to encyst on herbage that may be grazed by livestock and therefore these habitats are a key area of infection on any farm. 
  • However, not all suitable snail habitats on a farm will be habited by snails and only a minority of snails will be infected by liver fluke.
  • This project aims to tie in an evaluation of the usefulness of providing this information to the farmer through a series of repeated surveys of snails within the on-farm habitats.
  • With the continued development of an eDNA assay for both the mud snail and the liver fluke parasite that could serve as the foundation of a longer term and more accessible test of habitat infection levels.

Related Our Farms projects

Gyfylchau
Gyfylchau, Llanerfyl, Welshpool Focus Site Project: Improving
Court Farm
Court Farm, Llanthony, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Focus Site
Castellior
Castellior, Pentraeth Road, Porthaethwy, Anglesey Focus Site