Trialling the SmartWorm® application in New Zealand sheep farms

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Parasitology
• Animal Science
• Agricultural Technology

Background:

• Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) pose a significant threat to livestock health and productivity globally.
• Anthelmintic resistance is a growing concern in grazing livestock, particularly in New Zealand.
• Reducing reliance on broad-spectrum anthelmintics is crucial for sustainable parasite control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of SmartWorm®, an app-based decision-support tool, for Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) of internal parasites in lambs.
• To determine if TST can reduce anthelmintic usage without negatively affecting lamb growth rates.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing TST in commercial New Zealand sheep farming systems.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 1738 ewe lambs across three commercial farms.
• Comparison of a TST group using the SmartWorm app against a Blanket Treatment (BT) group receiving regular drenches.
• Monitoring of faecal egg counts (FEC), liveweight gain, and anthelmintic treatment frequency over a 90-day period.

Main Results:

• Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) reduced anthelmintic use by 37-57% compared to Blanket Treatment (BT).
• No significant differences in liveweight gain were observed between the TST and BT groups (P = 0.510).
• A weak but significant treatment effect on FEC was noted (P = 0.01), with a strong correlation between BT FEC and TST application rate.

Conclusions:

• Implementing TST via the SmartWorm app is effective in reducing anthelmintic drench use in lambs.
• This approach allows for reduced chemical input without compromising animal performance, contributing to sustainable parasite management.
• The study demonstrates a practical and responsive tool for managing internal parasites in New Zealand sheep production systems.