Psoroptic Mange Questions and Answers
PSOROPTIC MANGE Q & As
What is psoroptic mange?
Psoroptic mange is a severe and debilitating skin disease of cattle caused by an infestation of mites.
When is the disease most likely to occur?
Clinical signs of the disease are more commonly seen in the Autumn and Winter although it may be difficult to spot the disease in the early stages.
The mites become less active and numbers reduce in the summer.
What breeds are susceptible?
All breeds of cattle are susceptible. although disease can be particularly severe in British Blues. The majority of cases to date have been diagnosed in beef herds, but there has been infection in one dairy herd.
How is the disease spread?
The disease can be spread by animal contact at market and in livestock lorries, therefore buying of infected cattle is the most likely way of getting the disease.
What should farmers do if they suspect psoroptic mange in their cattle?
Farmers are encouraged to be vigilant for clinical signs of the disease i.e. scab formation along the back, shoulders and tail head, intense itching and weight loss.
Farmers suspecting that their cattle have psoroptic mange should contact their Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP) as treatment is not straightforward. Failure to kill the mites will lead to a prolonged and more serious disease outbreak and increase the risk of spread to other animals on the farm or other herds.
It is very important that your vet takes samples to diagnose and check the effectiveness of the treatment, as clinical signs may improve after some treatments but live mites may still be present.
Is the disease notifiable?
The disease is not notifiable to DARD but farmers should inform their Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP) if they suspect their cattle have psoroptic mange.
How to prevent spread and re-infection?
Treatment should be given to all animals in the group and any in-contact animals. Movement from infected housing should also be advised (mites can live off animals and be infective for at least 12 days). If the housing is kept free from cattle for a number of months, re-infection is unlikely.
It is essential to take this disease seriously and treat effectively. Experience from other European countries has shown that it possible for psoroptic mange to become the most common skin disease in cattle with severe production losses as a consequence.
