Experts are exploring a method that could provide sheep farmers and their vets with valuable information on the worm species present in the dung samples of sheep.
The project, funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), aims to look at a simpler, potentially cheaper method than is currently available for identifying worm species on farms.
The research is being undertaken by experts from Biobest, Queens University Belfast, and the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group.
Issues with current methods to identify worm species
The SCOPS Group promotes faecal egg counts (FECs) as the gold standard, which means estimating the adult worm burden in sheep and measuring the efficacy of anthelmintic (wormer) treatments.
However, animal health experts in the group explain that FECs cannot accurately differentiate between different worm species.
The identification of worm species is becoming important as farmers seek to find out which anthelmintic classes are still effective, including the worm species involved, so they can negotiate the complex decisions around the use of the different worm classes.
While there are techniques available that can identify worm species using DNA or extracted worm eggs from faeces, these are not commercially available and are currently only used in research settings.
Animal industry to provide insights into the new tool
Speaking on behalf of SCOPS, independent sheep consultant Lesley Stubbings stated: “For this work to be taken forward, it is really important for us to understand the appetite for such a diagnostic tool.
“To try to gauge this, we have devised a short survey for farmers, vets, and advisers who are concerned about or involved in worm control in sheep.”
Stubbings added: “It will only take five minutes but will be extremely valuable as we strive to provide new tools for you to use in the fight against anthelmintic resistance.”
Sheep farmers, vets and advisers are being encouraged to have their say and can complete the project’s short online survey here.
Dr Paul Airs, the parasitologist working on the project, concluded: “Early indications show respondents are more concerned with diagnostic accuracy and turnaround time than price.
“That is vital feedback if we are to develop this towards a test for use alongside an FEC on dung samples to determine worm species in sheep.”
