Thursday, 03 December 2020 09:55

Worm resistance genetics

Written by  Staff Reporters
WormFEC Gold chair Allan Richardson WormFEC Gold chair Allan Richardson

Sheep farmers should be investing in proven, worm resistant genetics this breeding season to future proof their businesses’ bottom lines.

That’s the claim of new WormFEC Gold chair Allan Richardson. WormFEC is a group of 15 breeders – with 18 flocks – representing all the main sheep breeds and based throughout NZ. 

“The majority of farmers still continue to put all their trust in a drenching strategy to combat internal parasites,” the West Otago sheep farmer says.  “Clearly that is failing at alarming rates with increasing resistance found in combination drenches (43%) and triple drenches (15%) in the latest NZ study completed by a Dunedin company Techion”.

Richardson says the rate of drench resistance increase has been dramatic, with some drench families recording over a 100% increase in resistance compared to four years ago.

“The Beef + Lamb NZ Genetics low input trial has clearly shown that WormFEC Gold rams with high performance and resistance levels still performed under high worm challenges,” he claims.  “This is a big saving in time, labour and expenses.”

“We are keen to work with farmers and vets to improve on farm knowledge and get the best medium to long term solutions for internal parasite management,” Richardson adds.

His take home message to farmers is to use this time wisely, get resistant genes into your flock.

“It will future-proof your farm, cut costs and reduce your long-term reliance on regular drenching,” Richardson says.

More like this

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter