RACHEL WHITEHEAD
We are seeing a continual emergence of drench resistance in cattle. The importance of monitoring the efficiency of drenches in cattle, particularly dairy, is key to halt the production limiting effect of resistant parasite burden.
Faecal egg counting (FEC) alone does have its limits when used for cattle. The host immune response can suppress Ostertagia ovulation, which effects the ability to detect Ostertagia burdens via FEC. Larval culture is a recommended add-on test that will improve the detection and identification of species present, and when interpreted with FEC results and clinical signs, gives a more complete picture of parasite status.
This season Gribbles Veterinary have released the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) report for cattle (in addition to the FECRT for sheep released in 2022).
When sending samples to Gribbles Veterinary for FEC and larval culture pre- and post-drench, you will receive a customised, farm-specific report, highlighting any areas of concern. This means that there is no calculation or data entry required by the veterinarian. Our FECRT report is in a format that is farmer-ready, to support on-farm planning.
To receive this free of charge report, samples must arrive with the correct submission form. The bovine FECRT form can be found on our website here.