Towards sustainable nematode parasite control of livestock

Farmers worldwide have come to expect, and rely almost exclusively on, broad-spectrum anthelmintics to effectively control nematode parasites amongst their livestock. However, the threats of resistance, residues and ecotoxicity are of increasing concern to the future of chemotherapy. It is imperative that sustainable parasite control schemes be developed and implemented which will integrate a range of techniques to minimise anthelmintic use and still maintain high levels of profitability of the farming enterprise. At present, these need to focus on the better use of existing drugs to maximise their effectiveness and minimise the selection for resistance and impact on the environment. New drugs should also be used according to these principles. In the future it is expected that other non-chemotherapeutic options will become available, e.g. helminth vaccines, resistant hosts, biological control, nematode growth regulators, which will revolutionize the current thinking on nematode parasite control of livestock.