Summary of UK Knowledge Transfer Activity by Innovis

Current UK Situation.

Since the 1980’s sheep numbers in the UK have increased by 40% with the biggest increase seen on lowland and hill farms. When combined with a decline in the number of cattle and more reliance on permanent pasture, internal parasites have become of greater importance as sheep farming has intensified.  Roundworms are considered to be one of the most important health problems for sheep and the cost of the disease in the UK is estimated at £84 million per year. However roundworm control is only one of many issues that sheep farmers have to deal with on day to day basis. Since there is also less labour available on farms the preferred approach is therefore to have a ‘blueprint’ approach to parasite control which is reliant on routine anthelmintic treatments. These control methods are easy to implement and aimed at avoiding problems.

The development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in the UK is of great concern to the sheep industry. Resistance to the benzimidazole (BZ) group is widespread with various studies showing some level of BZ resistance on approximately 80% of farms. Levamisole (LM) resistance is also increasing in the UK. There are a few reports of Macrocyclic Lactone (ML) resistance as well, the biggest concern with this group being that the farmers are becoming more reliant on them since they can be administered in injectable form and are also used for ectoparasite control. This increases the risk of AR to this group.

It is crucial for sustainable worm control in the future that the ‘blueprint’ approach is altered so that farmers target anthelmintic treatments to when they are needed and that alternative control strategies are considered. This will decrease their reliance on anthelmintics.

Innovis’ role in knowledge transfer.
Innovis became involved in parasitology in 2003 when the company became the European agents for FECPAK. This led naturally to developing consultancy activities to raise awareness on the issues of AR and to advise farmers on how they can alter their roundworm control strategies. Innovis delivers knowledge transfer activities through a variety of mechanisms:

• Discussion group meetings with farmers
• Training events either for FECPAK clients who want to make best use of the FECPAK system or for groups of farmers who want to learn about best practice parasite control.
• Demonstration Farms - Innovis work closely with HCC (Meat Promotion Wales) who have a network of demonstration farms around Wales. Changes to parasite control strategies and their effectiveness are demonstrated on all farms.
• Consultancy - Innovis provide either half or full day one to one consultations to farmers either on roundworm control specifically or where it is integrated in to a more general animal performance issue.
• Demonstrations at shows and events - Innovis provide faecal egg counting demonstrations and promote alternative control strategies at events ranging from national agricultural shows to localised open days.
• On going support and advice to FECPAK clients.   
  
  

Work done through the PARASOL project.

The objective for Innovis in the PARASOL project is to demonstrate that farmers can use faecal egg counting (FEC) to help target anthelmintic treatments. Innovis will demonstrate that roundworm control strategies can be changed without impacting on production or disrupting the other management activities on the farm.

Progress to date.

• 10 farms have been recruited – geographically dispersed in the UK. Ranging from Hill to Lowland farms.
• Provided a FECPAK for each farm and tuition on how to use the system.
• 1 day consultancy on parasite control for each farm for sheep and cattle.
• Collecting physical and financial data at onset and at 12 month intervals for 2 years.
• Collecting verification samples from farms.
• Seven of the farms have been visited to carry out a drench resistance test. The resistance status of each of these farms is now known which provide valuable knowledge for the farmer for future parasite control.

Each farm is visited on a 6 monthly basis and there is a continuous dialogue between Innovis and the participant farmers. Preliminary results already show considerable benefits on some farms and the project is already providing useful information that has been used through our knowledge transfer network.

An example of the progress that has been achieved from one of the farms is summarised below.

• 600 acre lowland farm
• 750 ewes and 270 cattle
• 90 FEC tests carried out in first 12 months of the study.
• Only purchased ewes were treated in Autumn 06
• Average no. of drenches per lamb in 2005 = 4.2
• Average no. of drenches per lamb in 2006 = 2.9
• Time spent testing reduced from 45 minutes per test to 20 minutes per test.

At the completion of these studies Innovis aims to host demonstration events at each farm which will demonstrate to other farmers within the area what can be achieved. Case study material will also be compiled which will focus on the experiences of each of the participant farmers.

• Summary of UK Knowledge Transfer Activity
  by Innovis (PDF, 1.8 MB)
  
• Diary of activities 2007 by Innovis (PDF, 125 kB)
• Experiences and results of 10 farms in the UK (PDF, 116 kB)
  
• FecPak – providing PARAsite SOLutions (PDF, 138 kB)
  
• FecPak Product information leaflet (PDF, 94.5 kB)
  

All pictures: © Eurion Thomas