Liver fluke is a significant welfare and production problem in cattle and sheep. Evidence-based management requires understanding fluke epidemiology and using targeted treatment strategies.
Liver fluke causes significant welfare harm through multiple mechanisms. Acute fluke migrating through liver tissue causes haemorrhage and peritonitis in severe early infections; chronic fluke in bile ducts causes progressive liver damage, anaemia, and metabolic compromise. Infected animals experience reduced appetite, weight loss, lethargy, and impaired immune function. The welfare response requires habitat management to reduce snail intermediate host populations, targeted diagnostic testing to identify infected animals, and appropriate anthelmintic use to treat confirmed infections while managing the growing problem of triclabendazole resistance.