Publications by authors named "Manod Williams"
The application of precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies will underpin new strategies to support the control of livestock disease. However, PLF technology is underexploited within the sheep industry compared to other livestock sectors, and research is essential to identify opportunities for PLF applications. These opportunities include the control of endemic sheep disease such as parasitic gastroenteritis, caused by gastrointestinal nematode infections, which is estimated to cost the European sheep industry EUR 120 million annually.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) surveying has potential to become a powerful tool for sustainable parasite control. As trematode parasites require an intermediate snail host that is often aquatic or amphibious to fulfil their lifecycle, water-based eDNA analyses can be used to screen habitats for the presence of snail hosts and identify trematode infection risk areas. The aim of this study was to identify climatic and environmental factors associated with the detection of Galba truncatula eDNA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Fascioliasis, caused by the trematodes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, is a significant zoonotic disease impacting the livestock industry, costing over €2.5 billion each year.
- Researchers developed a new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to quickly identify the freshwater snail Galba truncatula, which acts as an intermediate host for the trematodes, helping to monitor infection risks in livestock.
- The LAMP assay was effective, providing results in 30 minutes with comparable accuracy to traditional PCR methods, indicating its potential as a reliable tool for monitoring trematode infections in water sources.