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Sheep scab research awarded £1.2m grant
“Maintaining two effective control methods is essential for our ability to control scab in the future” – Lesley Stubbings.
Project to look at development and spread of treatment resistance.

Researchers have been awarded a £1.2m grant to tackle resistance to sheep scab treatments.

The three-year project will look at how resistance to macrocyclic lactone (ML) injectables developed in the sheep scab mite Psoroptes ovis and how it has spread across the UK.

The researchers aim to be able to provide updated advice and guidelines on how to manage sheep scab and develop new diagnostic tools to track the spread of resistance.

The grant has been awarded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to researchers based at the Moredun Research Institute, the University of Glasgow, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), and the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group.

Although organophosphate (OP) sheep dips can be used as an alternative to ML injectables, they involve more complex safety requirements. There are also concerns that if they are overused it could lead to the scab mites developing resistance to OP.

Lesley Stubbings, technical consultant at SCOPS, explained: “Maintaining two effective control methods is essential for our ability to control scab in the future.

“Understanding the basis of resistance in the MLs, together with the potential for early detection, will allow the industry to develop strategies to manage and slow resistance.”

Sheep scab currently costs the UK sheep industry between £80-200 million each year.

Stew Burgess, researcher at the Moredun Research Institute and project lead, said: “Sheep scab remains a significant threat to livestock health and welfare, imposing substantial economic burdens on farmers across the UK.

“With this funding, we aim to decode the genetic basis of resistance and its spread, providing the agricultural community with vital tools and updated strategies to manage this pervasive issue effectively.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
Lords Committee opens Pet Parasite Medication inquiry

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will launch its inquiry into Pet Parasite Medication (PPM) on Wednesday (3 June).

Focusing on treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways and the impacts of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and their owners.

The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.