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Livestock ectoparasites: integrated management in a changing climate
Richard Wall1, Hannah Rose, Lauren Ellse
1Veterinary Parasitology & Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, United Kingdom. richard.wall@bristol.ac.uk
Veterinary Parasitology
|June 18, 2011
Summary
Climate warming will increase livestock ectoparasite risks, particularly sheep fly strike. Simple changes in farmer practices can mitigate these risks, despite complex interactions between climate and parasite biology.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Entomology
- Climate Change Impact
- Parasitology
Background:
- Livestock ectoparasite prevalence is influenced by complex, seasonal factors including climate and farmer practices.
- Predicting climate change effects on livestock disease incidence is challenging due to these interacting variables.
- Cutaneous myiasis in sheep, caused by the blowfly Lucilia sericata, serves as a model to study climate change impacts on livestock health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the impact of climate change on the incidence of sheep cutaneous myiasis in the UK.
- To assess the potential for shifts in myiasis-causing agents under future climate scenarios.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of husbandry practices in mitigating climate change-driven increases in fly strike.
Main Methods:
- Utilized simulation and spatial species distribution models.
- Projected blowfly season length and emergence timing under various climate change scenarios.
- Analyzed the influence of elevated temperatures and altered precipitation on Lucilia sericata distribution and activity.
Main Results:
- Climate change is predicted to lengthen the blowfly season, leading to earlier emergence and increased strike incidence, especially for ewes in early summer.
- Higher emissions scenarios (+3 °C) may create conditions too hot and dry for L. sericata in parts of England, potentially allowing Mediterranean agents like Wohlfahrtia magnifica to establish.
- Simple husbandry adjustments, such as timely shearing and trap usage, can significantly reduce early-season fly strike incidence.
Conclusions:
- Climate warming is likely to elevate the risk of fly strike, posing animal welfare and economic challenges.
- Modest changes in husbandry practices can effectively manage anticipated increases in fly strike incidence.
- Accurate prediction of climate change impacts on livestock diseases requires integrating farmer behavior and animal management alongside parasite biology.
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