TESTING FOR WORMS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE WORMER USE by Dr David Marlin
Anthelmintic resistance (AR) of small strongyles (cyathostomins) against all currently available anthelmintics for horses poses a significant problem. Selective anthelmintic or targeted selective treatment (SAT) is one of the concepts considered to delay or even to overcome this challenging AR situation. In the current field study, all 93 equids (90 horses, 3 ponies) from five horse riding farms in France and Switzerland were regularly sampled (spring and autumn) and the faeces were analysed for a period of six years. Horses were only given wormers if the egg count was above 200 eggs per gram. From a total of 757 faecal samples, only 263 (34.7%) had a faecal egg count ≥200 eggs per gram and consequently needed an anthelmintic treatment.
Summary:
Therefore there was a 65% reduction in wormer use, which represents a significant economic saving! A long-term reduction in the number of anthelmintic treatments can be expected in a herd and/or the individual horse level, when compared to a conventional (or strategic) twice per year treatment regimen.
Roelfstra, L.; Quartier, M.; Pfister, K. Preliminary Data from Six Years of Selective Anthelmintic Treatment on Five Horse Farms in France and Switzerland. Animals 2020, 10, 2395.
