Keeping Anthelmintics Effective
Anthelmintics, like all animal medicines, should be used responsibly,
said the National Office of Animal Health.
Welcoming the recent media attention given to the potential welfare
consequences for the nation's sheep if these vital products are not used with care, NOAH
director Roger Cook stressed the importance of wormer family rotation as part of good
husbandry. 'This concept is not new', he said. 'Rotation has been a part of animal - and
indeed crop - production for centuries'.
He reminded farmers of the leaflet produced by NOAH in conjunction with
the Central Veterinary Laboratory back in 1992 called 'Anthelmintic resistance of worms in
sheep and goats - practical advice on avoidance'. The leaflet highlights the three types
of broad spectrum anthelmintic families available in the UK, benzimidazoles, levamisoles
and avermectins. It sums up by offering farmers this advice:
- do not 'buy-in' resistant worms - always quarantine animals brought on to the farm
- do not underdose by guessing animal weight
- do not treat unnecessarily
- do not change anthelmintic families more than once a year
- do not use the same anthelmintic family year after year
- do not use the same pasture for sheep and goats
- do not mix different anthelmintics together yourself
The potential for problems is not new and the advice remains the same.
Although the current attention is on sheep, the principles apply also to cattle and even
horses. 'Seek advice and use these products responsibly', said Mr Cook. 'That way, you can
keep anthelmintics effective on your farm.'
18 February 1997
Notes for Editors
- The leaflet 'Anthelmintic resistance of worms in sheep and goats - practical help on
avoidance' is available free of charge from NOAH.
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