Farmers should test animals before giving anthelmintics at or around housing this year to check if they are really needed, cattle worming experts have urged.
May 7, 2021 6:10 am
A project carried out in Wales has detected wormer resistance to one or more wormers groups on 98% of participating farms.
The initiative, which was funded through the Farming Connect Advisory Service, uses a flock Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) to establish whether resistance exists to anthelmintic drenches in flocks.
Last year, 49 sheep farms made use of the service, with testing carried out between June and November.
The testing
Sampling packs were provided by parasite management company Techion, and Faecal Egg Counts (FECs) were carried out on pooled dung samples – readings of around 500 eggs per gram (EPG) were needed to start the process.