New app could help farmers worm fewer lambs

A new farm trial is testing whether sheep farmers can worm fewer lambs without compromising growth, welfare or flock performance.

The two-season project is evaluating SmartWorm, a decision-support app that combines EID data, lamb growth rates, weather, grazing conditions and farmer observations to identify which individual animals actually need treatment.

The aim is to move away from blanket worming and towards more targeted treatment, while also slowing the development of resistance to anthelmintics.

The ADOPT-funded trial is taking place across four commercial sheep farms in South West England, with flock sizes ranging from 200 to 2,500 ewes.

Emily Gascoigne, veterinarian at Synergy Farm Health and project lead, said many progressive sheep farmers already use worm egg counts to make treatment decisions at group level.

She said: “This project asks whether we can take that one step further by making informed decisions at individual animal level.”

Lambs taking part in the trial are weighed approximately every three to four weeks using EID-enabled weighing systems.

SmartWorm then combines that performance data with weather information, grazing quality and farmer observations, such as signs of scouring, to identify animals that may need treatment.

On farms equipped with auto-drafting systems, selected lambs can also be automatically separated from the rest of the group.

Researchers hope the approach will help farmers avoid unnecessary wormer use while maintaining lamb performance.

It could also help slow anthelmintic resistance, which develops when parasites become less susceptible to treatments that have been used repeatedly over time.

Gascoigne said reducing treatment alone was not the objective.

She said: “It’s about maintaining lamb performance, protecting animal welfare and preserving the effectiveness of wormers for the future.”

She added: “Sheep farmers are worm farmers. You need to look after the worm population on your farm.”

Parasitic worms remain one of the most significant health and productivity challenges facing the UK sheep industry, costing the sector millions of pounds each year.

Resistance is adding to that pressure by reducing the effectiveness of existing wormers and making parasite control more difficult.

The trial includes regular veterinary oversight, routine worm egg counts and laboratory support from the Moredun Research Institute, which is carrying out parasite monitoring and resistance testing.

Livestock software consultant Matt Blyth is also supporting participating farms to ensure EID equipment, weighing systems and software work together effectively.

Gascoigne said many farms already have capable EID systems, but the technology is often not used to its full potential.

The project is therefore also examining how existing equipment can be better connected and turned into a practical tool for everyday flock management.

By identifying only the lambs that require treatment, researchers hope farmers will be able to maintain growth rates and welfare while reducing unnecessary use of wormers.

More effective parasite control could also improve feed efficiency and overall flock performance, contributing to both economic and environmental sustainability.

The project is funded through ADOPT, Defra’s Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies programme, which is delivered by Innovate UK.

ADOPT supports farmer-led trials that test new practices and technologies under commercial conditions and brings farmers together with vets, researchers and technical specialists.

Rachel Hayton, Research Lead at Synergy Farm Health, is acting as facilitator for the project.

She said: “We work closely with sheep farmers every day, so we understand the challenges they're trying to solve.”

Gascoigne said that support helps turn practical farming questions into structured trials that can generate useful evidence for the wider industry.

The SmartWorm trial is now underway and will continue across two grazing seasons through 2027.

Its results will test whether individual treatment decisions can reduce wormer use and protect the effectiveness of existing treatments without compromising lamb performance or animal welfare.