The surveys were organised as part of Project WORMS, which stands for Working to Overcome Resistance and Make for a Sustainable future and is a collaboration between CVS Group, VetPartners’ Equine Clinical Board, IVC Evidensia and Equine Reproductive Services, supported by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).
The aim was to investigate current approaches to parasite control practices in the UK’s horses and identify areas where management practices can be improved, and if veterinary surgeons can better target their advice.
With no new anthelmintic products being developed, the horse world could be left without effective anthelmintics in the near future, putting horses at an increased risk of parasite damage-related illnesses such as severe diarrhoea, weight loss and colic, which are currently preventable.
Of the 4,233 people who responded to the horse owner survey:
- 84% carry out regular faecal worm egg counts (FWECs) to determine their horse’s roundworm and small and large redworm burden;
- 40% routinely test for tapeworm;
- 73% regularly poo-pick their horse’s grazing;
- 22% incorporate co-grazing or alternate grazing with ruminants as part of their paddock management.
- Of those carrying out regular FWECs, 37% said they still routinely worm their horse at least once a year, regardless of the test results.
In a second survey focusing on the breeding industry, 36% of stud managers reported they have experienced parasite-related illness within the last year on their premises, most commonly weight loss, diarrhoea and colic.
Of the 56 stud owners and managers who responded to the survey:
- 28% revealed they are aware there is wormer resistance on their property;
- Youngstock aged one to three years of age were reported to be most affected by parasites, followed by weanlings and foals;
- 32% of respondents do not poo-pick their pastures;
- 89% harrow paddocks and 57% co-graze or alternate grazing pastures with ruminants;
- FWECs, veterinary advice and previous experience are considered “very important factors” in choosing a dewormer;
- Of the respondents who said that veterinary advice was “very important” when deciding whether to worm, nearly half used moxidectin and praziquantel as their first-line anthelmintic.
Dr Tim Mair, CVS equine director, said:
The surveys were organised as part of Project WORMS, which stands for Working to Overcome Resistance and Make for a Sustainable future and is a collaboration between CVS Group, VetPartners’ Equine Clinical Board, IVC Evidensia and Equine Reproductive Services, supported by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).
The aim was to investigate current approaches to parasite control practices in the UK’s horses and identify areas where management practices can be improved, and if veterinary surgeons can better target their advice.
With no new anthelmintic products being developed, the horse world could be left without effective anthelmintics in the near future, putting horses at an increased risk of parasite damage-related illnesses such as severe diarrhoea, weight loss and colic, which are currently preventable.
Of the 4,233 people who responded to the horse owner survey:
- 84% carry out regular faecal worm egg counts (FWECs) to determine their horse’s roundworm and small and large redworm burden;
- 40% routinely test for tapeworm;
- 73% regularly poo-pick their horse’s grazing;
- 22% incorporate co-grazing or alternate grazing with ruminants as part of their paddock management.
- Of those carrying out regular FWECs, 37% said they still routinely worm their horse at least once a year, regardless of the test results.
In a second survey focusing on the breeding industry, 36% of stud managers reported they have experienced parasite-related illness within the last year on their premises, most commonly weight loss, diarrhoea and colic.
Of the 56 stud owners and managers who responded to the survey:
- 28% revealed they are aware there is wormer resistance on their property;
- Youngstock aged one to three years of age were reported to be most affected by parasites, followed by weanlings and foals;
- 32% of respondents do not poo-pick their pastures;
- 89% harrow paddocks and 57% co-graze or alternate grazing pastures with ruminants;
- FWECs, veterinary advice and previous experience are considered “very important factors” in choosing a dewormer;
- Of the respondents who said that veterinary advice was “very important” when deciding whether to worm, nearly half used moxidectin and praziquantel as their first-line anthelmintic.