Sheep farmers should have a good knowledge of the worms on their farm according to a new campaign launched by the Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA). The association is encouraging farmers to check on the effectiveness of their wormers using FECs (Faecal Egg Counts).
Andrew Pattison works for R M Jones Agricultural Chemists, based in Hay on Wye, and is the SQP (Suitably Qualified Person) representative on SCOPS (Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep). He says: “It’s really important for sheep farmers to look at what they are doing and to manage the wormers and the worms on the farm. You can’t do that if haven’t got a correct picture of what’s going on. Faecal Egg Counting (FEC) is the only way to do it.”
Edgar Jones of Wilmaston Farm sought Andrew’s advice after noticing that his lambs were not thriving and that there was a certain amount of scouring present. After taking the advice to carry out FECs in order to understand the nature of burden, he now has a clearer picture of what is going on in his flock and the tools to treat it accordingly.
He says: “It has been really important to carry out FECs; if you don’t do it then you don’t know where your flock stands. It’s possible to go day-to day without noticing the worm burden in the flock.”
Using the information from the FECs, Edgar has been able to build up a picture of susceptibility to wormers on his farm and understand the type of worms that were present. This provided valuable information so he could choose the correct worming strategy.
Independent consultant and representative of SCOPS Lesley Stubbings has contributed to the campaign material. She says: “SCOPS has realised for some time that some farmers do not recognise the need to act while wormers are still apparently working to control clinical disease on their farms.
“In many cases sheep farmers are still achieving good levels of worm control with their current strategies. However, resistance is out there and can be detected if we look for it. We can delay the onset of resistance if we adopt the right strategies. With the wrong strategy the loss of clinical worm control can be very rapid – potentially within a single grazing season.”
