Welcome to our Facial Eczema Risk Spore Count Bulletin for 2026 – this article will be updated each week, so please revisit to see what the spore count is in your area.
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Counts for week ending 30 January 2026
| Feilding | Awapuni | Tararua | Taumarunui | Levin | |
| No. of sites monitored: | 16 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Average Spore Count | 20,000 | 10,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Highest Spore Count: | 110,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 | 45,000 | 20,000 |
| Lowest Spore Count: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Facial Eczema Risk Rating (Based on average spore count) | MED | LOW | LOW | LOW | LOW |
A few hot spots are starting to show up across the region.
Two paddocks on a non-sentinel farm in Kopane recorded 75,000 and 110,000, and sentinel farms in Bulls and Matiere/Ohura were 35,000 and 45,000 respectively.
The Ohau site at Levin has had three weeks at 15,000 to 20,000.
Spores ingested at these levels for several weeks will be affecting the liver even though you may not be seeing symptoms at this point.
All animals grazing paddocks at these levels should be protected with zinc whether by bolus, in the water, or in feed.
Talk to us about the best option to suit your farming system if you have not already done so, don’t wait until your own spore counts rise before starting a conversation.
Where we monitor
Resources
Spore counts can vary greatly between properties and even between paddocks. We encourage farmers to bring in grass samples to get a more accurate idea of the facial eczema risk on their own property. Spore counting is $37 (incl GST) per sample, dropping to $30 for multiple samples.
For instructions on how to cut grass for spore counting, please see HERE
What is a toxic spore level? It is best not to use absolute levels, as stock grazing pasture with spore counts as low as 20,000-40,000 can sustain liver damage. More important considerations are rate of spore count rise, prevailing weather conditions, and grazing intensity at the time. Toxin effects on the liver are cumulative. Play it safe – start prevention as soon as spores are detected.
Contact us if you would like more information on bringing in your own samples for testing.