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S H E E P F E A T U R E
U
sing faecal egg counts (FECs) to target wormer use in your sheep flock
will help reduce a flock's dependence on wormers, improve flock
performance, reduce worming costs and save time.
Veterinary Surgeon
Iain Richards
Binscarth Farms
SheepFlock
Planning
17
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
XLVets' Iain Richards says sheep producers
using the results of faecal egg counts as part
of an Integrated Flock Health Plan are seeing
the benefits both financially and in the health
of their stock. What's more, it's helping
maintain effective wormers for the future.
FEC's provide valuable information to help
decide if worming is necessary, or if it can
be safely delayed or left out to help determine
when worming is needed.
Production pressures on the farm vary from
year to year so keeping an ongoing dialogue
between farmer and vet is a good idea. This
is where a Flock Health Plan is invaluable, as
a practical tool for looking at a problem from
different directions, Mr Richards explains.
Cumbrian sheep producer Eric Thompson
is a supporter of a planned approach. By
collecting and sending in regular dung
samples, altering the farm's worming strategy
and from making changes to his grazing
management all combined to hugely reduce
egg numbers and improve lamb performance
at High Butterbent Farm, near Kendal.
Warning signs appeared in Mr Thompson's
Suffolk X Mule lambs during August 2008
when lambs began losing condition rapidly.
Following the death of a lamb, it was brought
for postmortem at the Westmorland
Veterinary Group which revealed a very
high worm burden.
This was further confirmed when a faecal
from the flock egg count showed 7,400
trichostongyloid eggs per gramme. ‘Faecal
samples are easily collected from the ground
after gathering sheep into a corner of the field
and then collecting freshly dropped, warm
faeces. Ten samples will give a good estimate
of parasite burden of the whole group
compared with individual counts on a few
animals,’ advises Mr Richards.
At High Butterbent Farm, resistance to BZ
'white' wormers was also suspected. Lambs
were immediately treated with ivermectin
(an avermectin based 'clear' drench)
and monitored. Sampling and analysis
following a repeat treatment revealed no
trichostrongyloid eggs were present.
XLVets Practice
Westmorland Veterinary
Group, Cumbria
Eric Thompson
High Butterbent Farm
Iain Richards
Westmorland Vet Group