Sheep awareness campaign is crucial
A major awareness campaign among sheep farmers is being called for in order to tackle the ever-growing dangers of resistance to antiparasitic drugs in their flocks.
Kate Hovers, former president of the Sheep Veterinary Society and the South Wales division of the British Veterinary Association, has voiced her worries and described it as a major problem.
During a meeting with the Farmers Union of Wales animal health and welfare committee, she told attendees that many parasites were becoming resistant to treatment partly due to medicines - such as those to fight sheep scab and liver fluke - inadvertently being used inappropriately.
Hovers continued by stating the misdiagnosis of the cause of ill-health often led to animals not being treated correctly. She said: “This makes it vitally important that farmers have an effective parasite control plan in place, preferably agreed in conjunction with a veterinary surgeon.”
According to the FUW’s animal health and welfare committee chairman, Catherine Nakienly, “We need to raise awareness in the industry that many parasites in sheep are now becoming resistant to some of the products used and that treatments should be appropriate and only carried out when needed.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
