More and more farmers are conscious of anthelmintic resistance and the impact it can have on sheep, cattle, horses, and even pets like dogs. As a result, many are looking for more effective wormer strategies. Targeted selected treatment (TST) can be the best option, offering a range of potential benefits. We want to have a closer look here to show why you should consider it if you have herds of livestock.
What is it?
TST is a great alternative to blanket worming. What you do is specifically treat the individual animals that show signs they need it. So, instead of dosing an entire herd, you typically only need to dose a small number of animals.
What you do with TST is look for indicators that a particular animal may have a high parasite burden. There are some obvious signs, including poor growth rates. If you have animals struggling to gain weight, it could be because of worms.
One of the best tools you have here is faecal egg count tests. The testing can determine how serious the parasite burden is. If animals have higher FEC scores, you know they likely need a dose of wormer. Other animals with lower FECs may not need a dose.
Benefits
Switching to TST instead of blanket dosing can be really beneficial for farmers. Let’s have a look.
Firstly, it can massively reduce the risk of anthelmintic resistance developing. This is vital because there are only a small number of wormers available to use. Dosing animals repeatedly, especially when they don’t really need it, is a bad strategy that leads to higher levels of resistant worms. So, it is better to be sparing and only target the animals that need it.
Being more selective with dosing is also really important in terms of costs and time. Reducing how much wormer you use can provide impressive savings. At the same time, if you’re only dosing a small number of animals, it won’t take as long. This can save labour costs and means you have time to dedicate to other jobs.
The TST method can also lead to higher prices for products. If you are effectively monitoring animal weights as part of it, you can ensure the growths are healthy. Ultimately, if the animals you are looking to sell weigh more, you can earn more.
An interesting piece of kit
If you do change to TST, you need to ensure you give animals that need a dose the right amount. Luckily, you can get some really impressive dosing guns today. Modern ones can link to your scales, ensuring they automatically calibrate the dose for the specific animal. This can tailor the dosing effectively, ensuring no issues with under-dosing or using too much.
Talk to us if you need wormer
At JS Hubbuck Ltd we put a lot of stock in customer service. Our goal is to make sure every client has a fantastic experience when dealing with us. As a proud family business with a long history, we know how valuable it can be to have someone ready to offer advice and guidance about different products.
Wormer is one place we really stand out when it comes to providing product information. It is a crucial part of animal health and the success of livestock farming. We can provide details to help choose the right wormers and use them effectively, with an eye on reducing the risk of resistance building.
So, if you want help with wormer, feel free to contact us.