Controlling internal parasites in grazing ruminants without recourse to anthelmintics: approaches, experiences and...

Interest in ways of raising stock without using anthelmintics has been stimulated by the desire for intensive grazing systems to adopt more sustainable methods of internal parasite control and by potential premiums for "organic" produce. This requires grazing management systems which are practicable and achieve levels of parasite control sufficient to meet realistic production objectives. This paper will summarise 3 years experience of lamb and cattle production without a recourse to anthelmintics on 2 production systems: a mixed cropping, lamb finishing, and cattle rearing unit and an all grass, mixed-stock, hill country unit in which all non-replacement lambs are sold at weaning. On both units parasite control was almost entirely dependent on integrated grazing management of sheep and cattle and strict systems of grazing management had to be rigidly applied. Acceptable productivity could be more readily achieved in sheep than cattle. Rams selected for resistance to nematodes were also used in both sheep flocks. Their influence on lamb production was equivocal. There is a need for more information on factors influencing parasite epidemiology and for consideration of strategies other than alternate grazing. The impact of pasture species on parasite epidemiology needs to be clarified. Current research indicates substantial differences between grasses in terms of parasite burdens acquired and production losses suffered by lambs grazing them. Grazing management may need to vary with pasture species. Also, specialty forage crops, particularly those containing condensed tannins (i.e. Hedysarum coronarium, Lotus pedunculatus and Lotus corniculatus) hold special promise as a means of countering parasite-induced production losses and dagginess. Using biological control of free-living larval stages and vaccination, may in the long term, also prove useful. Developing effective and acceptable systems for raising stock without using anthelmintics presents a considerable challenge, to parasitologists, as well as to plant breeders, agronomists, and farming systems researchers.