Vets are advising sheep farmers to take a dual approach to parasite management this summer, to maintain healthy weight gain and optimise the current high market price for UK lamb.

The unusually mild, wet weather seen in the first six months of this year present optimal conditions for parasites to thrive. Regularly testing pressure levels in the flock and closely assessing daily live weight gain are important to keep the burden and potential impact at bay.

Farm vet Gina Rigby from Cross Counties Farm Vets, part of the VetPartners group, shares timely advice on how best to monitor parasite prevalence and ensure your lambs are thriving.

“With the recent increase in temperature it is important to undertake both regular faecal egg counts as well as weigh lambs regularly, to track daily live weight gain and identify any parasitic burden,” she says.

“FEC count information is a historic indicator of parasites, showing levels from around three weeks prior. Combining this information with daily live weight gain gives a more complete picture and indicates the potential impact on the future health of your lambs.

“The only way to know if your parasite treatment is working is to do both pre and post-treatment worm egg counts, to look for adequate reduction in worm egg levels,” she adds.

It is also important to use these monitoring methods in addition to regular general health checks across the flock.

“This includes looking out for lambs that are underweight, have dull coats, low appetite or low energy, and treating them accordingly, alongside additional testing, such a trace element testing, if required,” says Mrs Rigby.

Mrs Rigby, who chairs the VetPartners sheep clinical interest group and has a small flock of sheep at home, also reminds farmers that FEC counts and post-dose efficacy testing counts will help reduce the cost of worming to farmers.

“If the FEC is too low to justify treatment, it can be a waste of time and money. It’s important not to fall into the trap of a worming routinely without FEC, to avoid developing resistant worm populations and to limit damage to non-target species like dung beetles who are important to soil health.

“It is also best practice to leave at least 10% of lambs untreated to help avoid resistance to wormers building up in the parasites on your farm,” she advises.

Another issue to look for this year is Haemonchus, explains Mrs Rigby.

“We have seen cases this year and it is one to watch out for as it can cause disease in lambs and adult ewes, and since it causes anaemia rather than scour it can sometimes be missed.

“Look out for swelling under the jaw, pale membranes round the eyes and lethargy. Haemonchus can also be a cause of apparent ‘sudden death’ if previous signs have been missed and there is a very heavy burden. 

“There is funding available via the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway for farmers in England to do a worming treatment check; the higher levels of worms likely found in lambs over the next month or so will mean you get the most from this funding.

“Speak to your vet for more information on this or to develop your parasite management plan. This will help improve not only the health of your lambs but also your financial bottom line,” concludes Mrs Rigby.

Cross Counties Farm Vets is part of the VetPartners group – find your local practice on www.vetpartners.co.uk/our-practices