The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group has released the newest version of its popular ‘Know Your Anthelmintics Groups’ guide, which is a free and widely-used resource in the sheep sector.
Kevin Harrison, a Gloucestershire sheep farmer and SCOPS chair, said: “I can’t count the times I’ve used the SCOPS Know Your Anthelmintics guide when making decisions about my flock, to remind myself which group a wormer belongs to or check other details.
“It lists all the currently available wormers, flukicides and combination products, with the wormers usefully colour coded into the white, yellow, clear, orange and purple groups that we sheep farmers are familiar with. I also find it to be useful tool to have to hand when I’m speaking to my vet or animal health advisor.”
The useful guide has been recently updated, meaning it includes products launched in recent months and any changes to established items. In addition to the product tables, it also has bite-sized information on choosing the right product, correct drenching and injecting techniques, and minimising the environmental impacts of anthelmintics.
Mr Harrison added: “Having known about SCOPS for a long time and more recently joining the SCOPS Steering Group as a farmer representative, I’m continually impressed by the free-to-use tools it provides.
“The ‘Know Your Anthelmintics’ guide is useful all year round and the SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast, available every spring, and recently launched for 2024, is invaluable at this time of year. The dot on the forecast map nearest to me is Lyneham, so I keep an eye on what colour that is and bear in mind that my farm is at a higher altitude, as that means the threat will be slightly delayed on my farm compared to when the dot changes to red (high risk) or black (very high risk).
“If the nematodirus threat comes at a time when I have susceptible lambs grazing pasture, it’s great to know the Nematodirus battus worm is one that remains susceptible to group 1 (white) wormers. Again, referring to the ‘Know Your Anthelmintics’ guide can help keep me informed on correct product choice.”
