It’s official, June 2026 was the hottest ever for England. There was a new record high temperature in Lingwood, Norfolk, hitting 37.7 Celsius. It was the second warmest June on record for the UK as a whole. Records were also smashed in Europe too, with new highs in many countries. France had their hottest ever day. The heat is causing all kinds of problems, including affecting farmers. We want to have a closer look at that here and the impact on wormer use.
Risks
Naturally the first thing to keep in mind is higher temperatures increase the risk to farmers. Long hours in the fields is physically demanding at the best of times. When it’s hotter, there is a higher risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Additionally, exposure to UV rays increases the risk of sunburn and melanoma.
The conditions are also more dangerous for animals, including cows, sheep, and pigs. Again there is a higher chance of heat exhaustion and stress. It can have a huge impact on the animals, causing lethargy and production losses. In extreme cases it can even lead to animal losses.
Parasites
Another key thing to keep in mind is warmer weather has a massive impact on parasites. It can completely change the landscape and how they behave. It could lead to massive problems, including production losses. The fallout could be even worse if farmers are driven to rely more on wormer when resistance is already a concern on many farms.
One of the biggest problems here is the temperature change expands the geographic region where parasites can thrive. For example, in the UK some worms were only common in southern parts of England; they could not survive the cooler temperatures further north. However, this is changing.
It’s not just summer when problems are worse. Spring is starting earlier and getting milder, allowing earlier, more rapid worm outbreaks. Milder winters add to this too. Traditionally they would be cold and suppress parasites. However, with warmer temperatures larvae can survive on pastures or even remain active. It increases the risk to animals.
While the longer grazing season is great for farmers, it is also important to think about parasites. Failing to do so puts animals at risk. It can increase the worm burden and lead to poor body conditions, weight loss, and reduce milk production.
What to do?
It’s more important farmers protect animals from hot weather and parasites. It protects performance and food supplies. There are some key things to do, including ensuring herds have sufficient water and access to shade, especially on during heatwaves. Plus, it is vital to use wormer effectively.
When it comes to worming, the key thing is to be flexible. The majority of farmers already know that blanket treatments are ineffective. They can cause wormer resistance and also result in unnecessary costs. It’s even more important to move away from this with changing temperatures meaning traditional timings for dosing animals may now be off.
The best thing to do is focus on monitoring animals and conducting faecal egg count testing to get an idea of the worm burden. Selective treatment is better than whole herd worming. Plus, it is more important than ever to look at effective grazing management. Fields may need upgrades too, including better drainage so conditions aren’t ideal for flukes.
Talk to us about wormer
JS Hubbuck Ltd has been supporting farmers for generations. We know how difficult it is, especially when it comes to raising healthy, productive animals. We want to make it a bit easier, offering quality products, information, tips, and more. So, contact us if you need anything.