The University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences has announced the launch of an online map-based tool which forecasts the risk of a Nematodirus outbreak in lambs. The University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences has announced the launch of an online map-based tool which forecasts the risk of a Nematodirus outbreak in lambs. 

The Nematodirus risk map, which will be updated daily, is designed to help UK sheep farmers assess the risk of outbreaks of the parasite in their lambs and take action before it is too late. It includes treatment and management advice.

The online risk forecast was developed by SCOPS (Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep) and researchers at the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences to predict when Nematodirus eggs will hatch and when outbreaks are likely to happen.

Researchers say that predicting when outbreaks might happen is becoming increasingly difficult due to variation in spring temperatures from year to year. Farmers can no longer rely on a standard timetable of treatments to avoid disease. As the damage is done by the larvae, faecal egg counts are of little use in detecting and controlling Nematodirus in young lambs.

The forecast takes advantage of the temperature-driven synchronised hatching of the Nematodirus larvae and uses weather data from 140 weather stations provided by the Met Office and Forecast.io. The interactive Google map allows farmers and advisers to select the nearest or most representative weather station and provides advice on how to relate the predicted risk to their particular farm and treatment options.

Cases of ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­nematodirosis and eggs detected in routine faecal worm egg counts will also be mapped anonymously as they arise to improve the forecasts and SCOPS are asking farmers, advisors and diagnostic labs to contribute to these records by emailing researcher Dr Hannah Rose at the University of Bristol’s Vet School. 

Dr Rose said: "In previous years 64 per cent of farmers and advisors surveyed changed the timing or extent of treatment – or advised treatment - after consulting the forecast, which has been running since 2013, and 93 per cent felt that their approach to control of this parasite had changed as a result of the forecast."

UK Government funding provided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has enabled further development of the forecast and it is hoped that even more farmers will benefit in 2016.

Picture: A Romney sheep with its lambs, courtesy Dr Eric Morgan, University of Bristol 

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