Twitter Instagram
    • Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    CPD Log-In
    OvertheCounter
    • News
      • Dairy / Beef
      • Sheep
      • Pigs / Poultry
      • Equine
      • Companion
      • Retail
      • Training
    • Magazines
      1. May 2022
      2. March 2022
      3. Kitten & Puppy Supplement 2022
      4. January 2022
      5. November 2021
      6. May 2021
      Featured

      Over the Counter – May 2022

      By Simon KingMay 11, 2022
      Recent

      Over the Counter – May 2022

      May 11, 2022

      Over the Counter – March 2022

      March 8, 2022

      Kitten & Puppy Supplement 2022

      March 8, 2022
    • CPD Training
      • AMTRA CPD courses
        • Frontline Academy
        • Companion Animal CPD Modules
        • Livestock CPD Modules
        • Equine CPD modules
        • Poultry CPD Modules
        • Are you a Gold Standard SQP?
      • VETPOL CPD courses
        • Companion Animal CPD Modules
        • Livestock CPD Modules
      • Earning CPD points with overthecounter.news
      • CPD Log-In
    • National SQP Awards
    OvertheCounter
    News

    Monitoring scheme highlights worm risks vary by region and year

    Simon KingBy Simon KingMarch 30, 2021Updated:March 31, 2021No Comments4 Mins Read
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

    Experts are advising farmers to worm their sheep based on growth rates and diagnostic data after information on worm patterns showed big variations between regions and year on year.

    Results from 26 sentinel farms involved in the Zoetis Parasite Watch Scheme showed that despite a hot and dry spring last year, worms were still a major issue throughout the year and late on in the season.

    The main findings from 2020 were:

    Nematodirus
    National data did not show a major spike in egg output with egg counts from April to August remaining at a consistent level of 125 eggs per gram (epg).

    On sentinel farms in Scotland, North West England and Northern Ireland egg counts peaked in June with an average of almost 400 epg highlighting the regional variation.

    Strongyle egg counts
    National data showed higher egg output in March, August and from September to November, with a similar pattern reported across the 26 sentinel farms involved in the Zoetis Parasite Watch Scheme.

    Regional data from the sentinel farms highlights that Wales and South West England saw a threat earlier on with an initial peak in March, compared to other areas of the UK which did not see any peak in worm in egg counts until May onwards.

    Zoetis vet Ally Anderson said: “The main take-home messages from these results are that no two years are the same and there are big regional variations.

    “Despite the hot and dry spring, worm eggs remained in the dung and became a problem when there was wet weather, which allowed their development to continue. Although the worm patterns last year largely followed the weather with spikes in worm egg counts a few weeks after warm and moist conditions, it is important not to base treatment decisions solely on the weather conditions.”

    Monitoring growth rates and conducting faecal egg count tests in lambs every 3-4 weeks throughout the grazing season are tools that can help inform treatment decisions.

    Ms Anderson added: “Faecal egg count tests are money well spent as they can help reduce treatment costs meaning the most suitable wormer can be used when there is a risk, reducing the resistance pressure through unnecessary treatments.”

    She said it is hard to predict what will happen this year with worms.

    “There are too many factors that influence worm burdens on farms, it is not just the weather. It also boils down to grazing practices, whether new stock have been bought in and were carrying worms and past treatment history,” Ms Anderson said.

    “However, with last year’s data showing high worm counts into October and November it’s important farmers continue testing their sheep after September, as the risk could still be there.”

    Dr Philip Skuce, from Moredun Research Institute, said even the extremely low temperatures seen in February will not necessarily stop worm and fluke eggs from overwintering.

    He said: “Snow is remarkable insulation. Even at -10°C fluke eggs can still survive. It is important not to use the weather to develop a treatment strategy for the year. No two years are the same.”

    How does Parasite Watch work?
    It is important farmers know what the parasite risk is in their area at different times of the year, so they can take appropriate action. This is where Parasite Watch can help as it alerts farmers to the risks in their area in real-time.

    Parasite Watch is now in its sixth year. It has a network of 26 sentinel farms testing regularly throughout the season for gut worms, Nematodirus and fluke. This can give farmers an indication of the risk of a high parasite challenge in their area.

    Farmers and SQPs can sign-up to receive 2021 alerts for free by clicking HERE.

     

    Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
    Previous ArticleMole Valley Farmers reports on unprecedented trading conditions
    Next Article NSA and RSPCA unite to raise awareness of sheep worrying by dogs

    Read Similar Stories

    NSA and Moredun work together to support UK sheep farmers 

    BVA welcomes Queen’s Speech commitment to prioritise animal welfare in next parliamentary session

    Organisers plan for another successful show at PATS Telford

    Most Read

    Jollyes starts recruitment for its new store in Stirling, Scotland

    May 16, 2022

    NSA and Moredun work together to support UK sheep farmers 

    May 13, 2022

    Beware of major parasites at turnout

    May 13, 2022

    Any animal medicine advertising or promotion should conform to the ‘code of practice’ of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH).
    For full details contact the publisher or www.noah.co.uk.

    Lewis Business Media Ltd endeavours to make articles and statements as accurate as possible.

    © 2022 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
    Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

    The OTC "tick" mechanism is the copyright of Lewis Business Media Ltd ©2022

    • Pet Business World
    • Pest
    • Pig World
    • Poultry News
    • AA Farmer

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo