Ringworm In Cattle

A disease to watch out for in winter

- Charlotte Mouland

Winter is creeping up on us now, and for some smallholders that may signal housing time for some of their animals. For cattle, one disease we particularly associate with winter housing is ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal disease and is one of the most common skin conditions affecting cattle. It is an important disease to be aware of as it is categorised as a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be transferred from animals to humans.

We most commonly see ringworm in young animals, and this is thought to occur because their immune system isn’t fully mature and is less effective at fighting the disease. In affected calves we tend to see grey-ish, often circular, raised lesions affecting the head and neck, however it can extend over much of the body in severe cases. The lesions are not usually itchy. Ringworm can cause reduced growth rate of affected calves and can affect the quality of the hide.