Five things you need to know about ruminant parasite control

1) The exclusive drug-based approach is dying

Today, parasite control implies farmers relying exclusively on anthelmintics, which usually are chemical solutions applied to the animals at the same point(s) in time yearly. This happens for some reasons. First, because companies like Boehringer Ingelheim brought great products to the market, covering a broad spectrum of both internal and external parasites. It has been a convenient reality, but this approach is not sustainable and it is dying. The sole drug-based approach worked very well for several decades, but now we are facing a rapid escalation of parasite drug resistance. And it is happening to all major worm species of every livestock segment and every drug.

2) Forget new classes of dewormers

New dewormers could be an answer to this resistance problem, but this is unrealistic. Resistance to parasiticides has grown, and it will continue to outpace the introduction of new dewormer classes. One cannot forget that researching, testing and introducing new drug classes is an expensive and time-consuming process. The last “new” one, the macrocyclic lactones, was launched in the 1980s and there have been no new anthelmintic classes introduced to the cattle market since then.

3) There is no parasitology without critical thinking

Immediate change is required all over the world. We need profound changes to address the realities on the ground and bring back critical thinking to parasite control. This means treating the right animals, with the right product, with the right dose, at the right time, and not forgetting about pasture management.… Basically, we need to work in harmony with nature, learn once again the lessons of parasite biology, ecology and epidemiology in order to achieve optimum and financially feasible productivity levels, combined with minimum environmental impact.

4) The best solutions include human behavior

Dewormers should be a key component of worm control, but it cannot be the only solution. Efficient and responsible use of drugs should be on top of the agenda in order to win the battle against parasites and ensure improved animal health and welfare. Human awareness and behavior have a powerful contribution here. For example, no overgrazing pasture, reducing treatment frequency, learning the best moment to apply the drug and applying the concept of refugia, which means to leave a small proportion of the herd untreated, are efficient tools as well.

5) A sustainable future is real

Apart from having companies improving processes to reduce the footprint of Animal Health products, sustainability should be reflected in the behavior of each individual. Farmers can apply the idea of refugia, for instance, to manage parasite resistance and minimize environmental harm. These sustainable strategies will keep the few efficient dewormers we have in the market effective for as long as possible – and this should definitely lead to better overall management to benefit cattle well-being, producer profits and consumer confidence.

About

Dr. Ray Kaplan is a Professor at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. He received his DVM from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and worked in a mixed-species practice before earning a PhD in Veterinary Parasitology at University of Florida. Dr. Kaplan then served in the Army Veterinary Corps where he was Chief of Parasite Biology at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Since 1998 he has been at UGA where he teaches and performs research and service in veterinary parasitology.  His research program is focused on measuring, understanding, and solving problems of drug resistance in helminth parasites.