title: Evaluation of 'best practice' (SCOPS) guidelines for nematode control on commercial sheep farms in England and Wales.
abstract: Parasitic diseases are a major constraint to optimum livestock production and are the major cause of economic loss in UK sheep flocks, with farmers remaining dependant on anthelmintics for control. In the UK, research and evidence based, "best practice" guidelines for sustainable control of parasites in sheep (SCOPS) were first produced in 2004 and have been regularly updated since. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of these best practice guidelines for worm control on lamb production and infection levels, compared with more traditional management. Sixteen farms were selected based on a 2 cube factorial design with 3 factors known to affect worm epidemiology: control regimen; farm type; and climatic region. A formalised plan for worm control using 7 potential resistance-delaying practices was prepared for each of the 8 best practice (SCOPS) farms, in conjunction with the farms veterinarians. The 8 farms in the traditional management group (CONTROL farms) were selected based on ongoing evidence of them using worm control strategies deemed to be "higher-risk". A cohort of 40-50 study lambs at each farm was monitored from birth to finishing, allowing evaluation of lamb productivity, worm infection levels and for comparison of numbers of anthelmintic treatments. Birth and mid-season weights were used to calculate daily live-weight gain. Birth and finish dates were used to calculate time to finish and finish weights were also compared. Faecal egg counts, larval culture and species differentiation were undertaken throughout the year to assess the impact of the control strategies on worm burdens. There was no significant difference in results for any of the 3 production responses when comparing predicted means accounting for the differences in birth weight. In fact SCOPS farms had, on average, a higher daily weight gain and finish weight than CONTROL farms when comparing observed means. Statistical analysis of infection levels clearly showed no significant effect according to farm type (p=0.71) or treatment (p=0.81). In contrast the effect of region (p=0.08), although not significant, had a much larger effect size (standardised mean difference) with lower parasite burdens based on faecal egg counts on Northern farms compared to Southern farms. For both ewes and lambs, significantly fewer treatments were carried out on the SCOPS farms. The data collected from this study suggests that farms implementing SCOPS principles use less anthelmintic than other farms, without loss of animal performance or increased worm burden.
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK. Electronic address: jane.learmount@apha.gsi.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Learmount
authors.affiliation: University of Strathclyde, 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gettinby
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boughtflower
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: Kayleigh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allanson
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: Alba Barrecheguren
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: VParst Ltd, Maple House, 2 Dawson Road, Market Weighton, East Yorkshire YO43 3GE, UK.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001835:Body Weight; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000592:standards*; D004739:England; D017408:Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D009348:Nematoda / Q000502:physiology; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D059208:Parasite Load; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics
keywords: Haemonchus; Lamb productivity; Nematode control; SCOPS; Sheep; Teladorsagia; Trichostrongylus