Sheep Parasite Refugia Strategy Welfare

Managing anthelmintic resistance through refugia-based strategies protects the long-term effectiveness of treatments that prevent parasitic suffering in sheep.

Key Facts

Anthelmintic (wormer) resistance in sheep parasites is widespread and worsening globally
Refugia strategies deliberately leave a proportion of untreated animals to maintain susceptible parasite populations
Targeted selective treatment using FAMACHA scoring reduces treatment frequency and resistance selection
Fecal egg count testing guides treatment decisions more effectively than calendar-based dosing
Without sustainable parasite control, the future ability to manage parasitic suffering is at risk

Welfare Considerations

Parasite control is essential for sheep welfare, but overuse of anthelmintics is creating resistance that threatens future treatment effectiveness. Managing parasite control sustainably now protects the welfare of future sheep generations.

What You Can Do

Support sheep farmers using diagnostic testing to guide parasite treatment decisions
Advocate for refugia strategies and resistance testing in sheep health planning
Choose wool and lamb from farms demonstrating sustainable parasite management