Dog Walkers Urged to Clean Up Faeces on Farmland
Diseases found in dog poo can cause abortions in cattle and death in sheep
Local farmers and Fairfield Village Community Association are urging members of the public to clean up after their dogs when walking on or near to agricultural land.
Parasites found in some dog faeces can result in the abortions of cattle and death in sheep and with several reports over recent months, local farmers are pleading with the public to be more responsible.
As the lambing and calving season begins for another year, the message to members of the public is to remember to pick up any faeces from dogs they are walking, including when they are using agricultural land.
The two diseases of particular concern that can be present as a result of faeces on farmland are neosporosis and sarcocystosis.
Neosporosis can cause abortions in cattle and is thought to be responsible for the highest percentage of all cattle abortions reported in the UK. Neospora eggs are produced by infected dogs and excreted in their faeces. Cattle will then become infected if they eat food, i.e. grass, or drink water contaminated with the eggs.
Sarcocystosis is also caused by parasites, which can use dogs as intermediate hosts, and similarly the eggs are produced and excreted in faeces.
In terms of both these diseases, faeces from infected dogs can contaminate pasture and animal feed, water or bedding. There is currently no licensed vaccine or drugs available for these diseases.