Liverpool Veterinary Parasitology Diagnostics supported a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Wales project awarded to Techion (techion.com), 'Improving the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal round worms in cattle'.
To identify which species of strongyle nematode was present in first and second season grazing calves over their summer grazing season, faecal samples sent to Liverpool Veterinary Parasitology Diagnostics were processed and sent on to the University of Calgary for nemabiome sequencing. In addition, the infectious larval burden on pasture was assessed and species of nematode present on pasture during the grazing season also determined.
The project showed that regular monitoring of faecal egg counts in first and second season grazing calves can guide the need for anthelmintic treatment, demonstrating the importance of targeted treatment regimes. Overall fewer doses of anthelmintic treatment were needed compared to farmers’ normal practice; evidence of a lack of efficacy was found for the macrocyclic lactones, and the predominant species of nematode surviving treatment was Cooperia oncophora.
The full report from the project is available on the Business Wales website.