Pair step up in facial eczema battle

John Palamountain has adapted the tried and true animal elixir Revive to help combat the ill effects of this season 's severe facial eczema epidemic.

This season has been regarded by many as the worst for facial eczema since 1999 throughout the central North Island, spurring two Whanganui identities to step up to the plate.

The fungal disease has forced some farmers to slaughter large lines of stock which has cost tens of thousands to replace.

Robin Casey claims his facial eczema preventive measures have proved almost foolproof for nearly 20 years.

With the cooler weather, the threat of FE has gone, for now, but stock left on the ground will be suffering subclinical symptoms, curtailing their ability to reach full production.

The problems arise mostly through damaged livers and the pressure will come on birthing time.

John Palamountain has moved quickly through the family-owned Whanganui company, Vitapower, to adapt its tried-and-true animal health supplement Revive.

With help from Massey University scientists, Professor Brian Wilkinson and Dr David Popovich, Palamountains Revive has been redesigned to cope with subclinical symptoms.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), well documented in the treatment of liver disease, has been added to the product.

It is known to prevent or reverse hepatotoxicity of reactive drug metabolites or naturally occurring toxins.

"So by blending the milk thistle into the standard Revive product it will greatly assist these animals back to normal health," he said.

"We believe with the research that Prof Wilkinson has assisted us with will greatly aid and improve animal liver functions and assist the mother back to improved health. This new product has been trialled and peer reviewed and we've managed to get it out quickly to help those poor farmers affected by FE."

Meanwhile, independent Whanganui agricultural fertiliser broker Robin Casey adheres to the old adage prevention is better than the cure.

Mr Casey has his own special concoction for treating pastures which he has used for nearly 20 years.

It has yet to fail, he says, and "appears to have a near 100per cent success rate when pastures have been treated in time".

"Eighteen years ago I had a client that had around 350 ewes affected by eczema. This year, the worst strike they say since 1999, he had three that appeared to be affected. The other years we have sprayed he was not affected," Mr Casey said.

"I have had other clients affected in the past, but since I have treated their pastures they have not been troubled by it. However, I do have one property I had been treating for 10 years but this season he decided not to for some reason and he was decimated by this latest outbreak."