Overcoming challenges to implementing sustainable worm control in sheep

Effective roundworm control is essential to the health, welfare and profitability of UK sheep flocks. Historically, this has relied heavily on the use of effective anthelmintics. However, with increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance to the three older classes, there is an urgent need to adopt a more sustainable approach that reduces reliance on chemical control methods. The challenge is that this approach is more complex. Sheep farmers are generally not confident, nor convinced that they need to change and this has been exacerbated by the lack of positive messaging of the potential benefits of a sustainable strategy. Understanding not only the principles, but the barriers to uptake is essential, and careful application of tools available is necessary to build trust and demonstrate the benefits. Building a conversation based on performance, using the information available and measuring improvements is key and should involve other factors, not simply looking at the sustainable worming challenge in isolation. Government schemes that provide funding to initiate these conversations offer a unique opportunity to help overcome the challenges veterinary surgeons face.