Whilst many farmers are either lambing outdoors or turning lambs out to pasture this spring, SCOPS has launched the online interactive map which predicts the hatch date for the gut worm, nematodirus.
The industry-wide animal health body, Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) has launched the map which is based on temperature data captured from 140 weather stations across the UK, including 14 in Wales.
Cold weather quickly replaced by warming temperatures can cause the nematodirus larvae to hatch in large numbers which can lead to a considerable challenge in young lambs.
Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), a partner in SCOPS, is encouraging pro-active flock and herd health management through the Stoc+ Project, which is one strand of the Red Meat Development Programme – a 5-year Welsh Government and European Union-funded initiative aiming to enhance the red meat sector in Wales.
The free Nematodirus Forecast can be found on the SCOPS website - https://www.scops.org.uk/forecasts/nematodirus-forecast/.
This forecast is updated regularly and users can zoom in on a specific area to identify the risk. The current risks across Wales are either negligible or low but these risks can change drastically depending on the upcoming weather conditions so the best advice would be to regularly check the forecast.
Rosie Gibson, a vet at Honddu Veterinary Practice in Brecon joined the Stoc+ ‘Train the Trainer’ events earlier in the year, and has since shared some advice with the project on nematodirus and the importance of preventing the gut worm as best as possible.
Rosie Gibson noted, “The perfect storm of a mass hatch is ideal weather and susceptible lambs (6-12 weeks old) grazing on pasture where young lambs grazed last year. This can cause sudden and severe disease, dehydration and in some cases, death. Lambs that survive suffer a marked check in growth rate."
“Worm egg counts from dung samples are unreliable indicators of a problem as the larvae cause damage before they become egg laying adults. I would advise all farmers to check the SCOPS website for regularly updated local nematodirus forecasts and track the development of risk."
“You can prevent nematodirus in the lambs by not grazing young lambs where young lambs grazed last year and the timely use of anthelmintics. White drenches are the wormer of choice as it is still highly effective against nematodirus and is suitable for young lambs."
“It may be necessary to treat lambs more than once depending on the spread of ages in a group and the weather. There is no persistent effect of any wormers against nematodirus. If you hit a problem in a group, consider moving the lambs to a less contaminated field.”
For more advice on reducing the risks and treatment options for nematodirus, contact the farm vet.
HCC’s Stoc+ is one of three 5-year projects in the Red Meat Development Programme which is funded by the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.