Information on parasite control provided by an interactive web site has prompted many sheep farmers to be pro-active regarding sheep health.
In 2016, Zoetis established a network of 'Parasite Watch' sentinel farms across the UK to support parasite control decisions. They have extended the remit this year through the inclusion of more farms and an upgrade in technology to provide farmers with insight into stomach worms, Nematodirus, liver fluke and fly burdens in their particular area.
Flies are monitored using a home made fly trap with some liver as bait.
Gastro-intestinal worms – regular Faecal Egg Counts (FECs) and growth rate monitoring to check for the onset of parasitic gastro-enteritis.
Nematodirus – regular FECs, weather data and other sources to give an indication of disease risk on sentinel farms.
Liver Fluke – using risk and weather data, coupled with regular sampling on Parasite Watch farms, to provide early notice of predictable threats.
Flies – data from Parasite Watch Farms to prompt early warnings, possibly before it is noticeable around livestock, that fly populations, are multiplying quickly.
Aurelie commented: "Overall, the aim of Parasite Watch is widespread evidence-based decisions to treat or indeed not to treat. It informs vets, SQP's and farmers if they are able to reduce treatments or whether the impact on production, given the parasite challenge, is likely to be too high a risk.
Sheep farmer Peter Baber, who is also one of the 18 farms involved in Parasite Watch, believes long-term targeting of wormers has helped control the development of resistance on his farm.
He farms 1,000 Exlana, Suffolk and Texel ewes at Weir Park Farm, Christow, Exeter, and is also chairman of Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS).
He has been taking faecal egg counts for the past 10 years and will only worm if results indicate there is a problem.
Last year he was pleased to find that the white BZ group worked 100% on his farm early in the season for Nematodirus.
Mr Baber says if he has a faecal egg count that comes back showing medium risk, he may go out and drench 20% of the flock. "It shows there are some worms there, so I will worm those animals most at risk.
"Taking faecal egg counts builds a picture of what is happening on farm and will help preserve the useful lifetime of some drenches," he adds.
The aim of Parasite Watch is to show what is happening across the UK using an interactive map found at www.parasitewatch.co.uk. Parasite data from each of the farms will be updated regularly, which will allow farmers to see if there are spikes in certain parasites throughout the year in their area and enable them to take appropriate action.
To use the map, click on a farm in your area and details of any parasites that have been found as well as when they were detected will be displayed. Test results will be online within hours of the test being taken.