title: Findings from an ovine parasitological monitoring service provided by a rural veterinary practice in New South Wales, Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe an ovine parasitological monitoring service delivered by a rural veterinary practice and determine associations between flock, anthelmintic and monitoring factors and worm control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of records from a rural veterinary practice in south-eastern Australia over an 8.75-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of sheep producers using veterinary services for gastrointestinal parasite management from 1 August 2003 to 30 April 2012 were analysed. Results from pre- (FECt1 ) and post-treatment faecal egg counts (FECt2 ) were used to identify factors influencing anthelmintic effectiveness, calculated as faecal egg count reduction percentage (FECR%) by linear mixed model analyses. The trends in anthelmintic merchandising and uptake of veterinary services for parasite management were determined by logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FECR% varied according to the treatment group used (P < 0.001), with an apparent decreasing effectiveness of the macrocylic lactone group over the duration of the study (P = 0.008). Wether and ram flocks displayed lower FECR% than ewe flocks (P < 0.05). Time between FECt1 and treatment (P = 0.031), as well as time between treatment and FECt2 (P < 0.001), had a significant negative association with FECR%. The proportion of properties purchasing 4-way combination anthelmintics increased significantly over the study period (P < 0.001), with declines observed in other anthelmintics (P < 0.05). The proportion of properties performing FECR% monitoring to those that purchased anthelmintics increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anthelmintic treatment type, sex of the flock and time between drenching and testing had the greatest influence on drench effectiveness (FECR%). An increasing reliance on 4-way combination drenches to manage gastrointestinal parasitism was demonstrated. Benefits of parasitological monitoring include: appropriate advice on parasitological management; observations on trends in regional anthelmintic usage; estimation of drench effectiveness; early indication of anthelmintic resistance; and improved service provision by the rural veterinary practice.
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: M K
authors: MK
authors: Kozaruk
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Churchill
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Windsor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006189:Haemonchus; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014253:Trichostrongylosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D014254:Trichostrongylus; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics
keywords: anthelmintic efficacy; anthelmintic resistance; faecal egg count; faecal egg count reduction test; nematode control; sheep