Hexamita on the rise for redlegs

An increase in cases of hexamita in red-legged partridges in southern England has been reported.

Outbreaks of the disease are generally patchy and sporadic throughout the UK towards the end of the rearing season and into the shooting season, but Alan
Beynon of the St David?s Game Bird Services Veterinary Surgeons, which covers the whole of the south of England, has noticed a definite increase in cases in recent weeks. He said: ?The practice has been investigating an increasing number of incidents of spironucleus (hexamita) in redlegs. The effects can be far reaching with poor performance on driven days or lack of sustained performance in a busy shooting schedule.

?Though outbreaks in the previous two seasons could be attributed to the poor weather patterns in the UK, this year has had ideal conditions and we are still experiencing problems.?

The rest of this article appears in 29th September issue of Shooting Times.

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