Facial eczema (FE) is a disease causing liver damage in pasture-grazing livestock that can result in reduced fertility, weight loss, lower milk production photosensitivity, sunburn and, in severe cases, death. 

Stock can contract FE when they ingest toxic fungal spores found in pasture. Typically, FE has been a problem for warmer, wetter parts of New Zealand and has yet to cause any issues in the lower south.

Beef and Lamb NZ is part-way through a study looking into the prevalence of FE in New Zealand through analysis of fungal spores, associated with FE, found in sheep poo samples, which would indicate that sheep have eaten the fungus in the pasture. 

Its latest findings show that FE spores were detected on several of the 65 farms monitored in the South Island between January and April 2024 – including in Otago and Southland. They are currently asking for more farmers to sign up to their ‘Sheep Poo Study’ to inform future results.   

Unfortunately, there is no cure for FE, but there are practical steps you can take to mitigate the risk, including spore counting, zinc supplementation, changing grazing strategies and planting alternative grass species or crops. 

We will be following the study and will keep you updated with any new developments.