Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Findings from an ovine parasitological monitoring service provided by a rural veterinary practice in New South Wales, Australia.
- Journal:
- Australian veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Kozaruk, M K et al.
- Affiliation:
- Faculty of Veterinary Science · United Kingdom
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how effective different treatments for worms in sheep were over nearly nine years in New South Wales, Australia. It found that the type of worm treatment used, the sex of the sheep, and the timing of testing after treatment all affected how well the treatment worked. Specifically, treatments using a certain group of medications became less effective over time, and male sheep flocks had lower effectiveness compared to female flocks. The study also noted that more sheep producers started using a combination of four different worm treatments and monitoring their effectiveness. Overall, the findings suggest that monitoring worm treatments can help farmers manage worm problems better and recognize when treatments might not be working as well.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe an ovine parasitological monitoring service delivered by a rural veterinary practice and determine associations between flock, anthelmintic and monitoring factors and worm control. DESIGN: Retrospective study of records from a rural veterinary practice in south-eastern Australia over an 8.75-year period. METHODS: Records of sheep producers using veterinary services for gastrointestinal parasite management from 1 August 2003 to 30 April 2012 were analysed. Results from pre- (FECt1 ) and post-treatment faecal egg counts (FECt2 ) were used to identify factors influencing anthelmintic effectiveness, calculated as faecal egg count reduction percentage (FECR%) by linear mixed model analyses. The trends in anthelmintic merchandising and uptake of veterinary services for parasite management were determined by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: FECR% varied according to the treatment group used (P < 0.001), with an apparent decreasing effectiveness of the macrocylic lactone group over the duration of the study (P = 0.008). Wether and ram flocks displayed lower FECR% than ewe flocks (P < 0.05). Time between FECt1 and treatment (P = 0.031), as well as time between treatment and FECt2 (P < 0.001), had a significant negative association with FECR%. The proportion of properties purchasing 4-way combination anthelmintics increased significantly over the study period (P < 0.001), with declines observed in other anthelmintics (P < 0.05). The proportion of properties performing FECR% monitoring to those that purchased anthelmintics increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Anthelmintic treatment type, sex of the flock and time between drenching and testing had the greatest influence on drench effectiveness (FECR%). An increasing reliance on 4-way combination drenches to manage gastrointestinal parasitism was demonstrated. Benefits of parasitological monitoring include: appropriate advice on parasitological management; observations on trends in regional anthelmintic usage; estimation of drench effectiveness; early indication of anthelmintic resistance; and improved service provision by the rural veterinary practice.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25682979/