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.
Guidance updated on controlling worms on farms
20 April 2021 |
The guidance will help farms looking to reduce their dependence on wormers
The UK s three levy boards have updated their guidance for sheep farmers on controlling worms more effectively in the future.
The sheep industry has become more reliant on pastures grazed only by sheep, and as a result, the dependence on wormers has increased.
Worm control is vital on any sheep farm, and heavy worm burdens can dramatically decrease lamb growth rates and the profitability of sheep systems.
But for worm control to be effective long term it is important to preserve the efficacy of anthelmintics that are used by minimising resistance.