RUMA Alliance member the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has issued guidance, supported by RUMA, on the use of anthelmintics in grazing animals in the form of a poster for display. The main points are that:
Blowflies are the most widespread ectoparasite affecting sheep in the UK, with surveys showing that every year 80% of flocks will have one or more cases of strike. If not properly controlled, this will result in serious welfare problems and reduced profitability in up to 500,000 sheep annually, says the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) programme.
Internal parasites (worms) represent an important threat to optimising performance in both beef and dairy cattle. Feed conversion efficiency, growth rates and fertility will all be affected if cattle are carrying large burdens of internal parasites.There is an industry initiative which aims to improve the information available to vets and advisors about the sustainable control of endoparasites in cattle.
AHDB has funded the compilation of a technical manual covering parasite lifecycles, diseases caused and best practice recommendations for use of anthelmintics in cattle.
The purpose of this publication is to examine the parasites which affect the raising of fish for human consumption in commercial aquaculture production systems, how they are monitored, and the current treatments available, as well as other management methods in order to encourage responsible use of parasiticides.
Parasitic worms in the pig are an important though often overlooked problem that can significantly reduce productivity and growth rates as well as causing noticeable clinical disease in some cases. Worms can affect the digestive system and the respiratory system, the latter by direct damage due to the pig lungworm or more commonly indirectly as migrating worm larvae pass through the lungs on their way back to the gut.
