By the time the symptoms of FE are visible, liver damage has already been done. As a guide, for every one clinically affected cow, there will be 20-30% sub-clinically affected.
Dairy Cows
Clinical symptoms:
- Shade seeking
- Kicking, licking at flanks
- Sudden decline in milk production
- Elevation in GGT levels
- Redness and peeling of unpigmented skin
- Sudden or unexplained deaths at calving
- Increased incidence of ketosis at calving
Sheep
Clinical symptoms:
- Shade seeking
- Kicking, licking at flanks
- Redness and peeling of unpigmented skin
- Irritation, reddening and oedema of the muzzle, eyes, ears and udder.
- Sudden or unexplained deaths at lambing
- Decreased wool and meat production
- Increased incidence of sleepy sickness at lambing