⚠️⛔️ David Rendle from the The British Equine Veterinary Association asks: 'Is wormer resistance an issue of people or parasites?' at the National Equine Forum. This is SO worth a watch - the heath of our horse population depends on the answer...
A worm egg count is a useful test to monitor the presence of redworm and ascarid eggs, some of the most common and dangerous horse parasites. In this video we show you how to take and send a sample to the lab for testing. This simple test will help to determine whether a wormer is needed. Regular worm egg counts, conducted every 8-12 weeks, help to reduce wormer use by up to 82% which helps to slow drug resistance as well as being better for the horse, your pocket and the environment.
Here at Westgate our purpose built lab is on the family farm in Northumberland. For the last 30 years most of the land has been part of a massive opencast coal mine. This has recently been restored. Spurred on by devastating reports on the state of our declining countryside we've made the decision to turn 73 acres into a designated nature reserve to create a haven for plants and animals. Around 50 acres of this is new tree planting and the remainder is ponds, wetland and grassland that even after a few short years is already teaming with life.
A new blood test is now available through your vet to determine whether treatment is required for encysted redworm. Here we test two horses, Lily and Chocolate, who both meet the criteria for testing to see what their results show. Despite both of them being kept together we get some surprising results. According to advice, horses with previous faecal egg count results greater than 200 e.p.g. within the last year are considered high risk and may not be appropriate for this innovative new test, so should receive a routine treatment for encysted redworm. If your horse is classed as low risk - worm counts of no greater than 200 e.p.g. within the last year, is in a closed herd with good paddock management and there is frequent poo picking, then chat to your vet further about this test. Every horse that does not require a moxidectin dose is helping preserve the chemical and delay resistance.
💩🐞 Dung beetles are nature’s recyclers, clearing our pastures by feeding and burying animal faeces and destroying parasite eggs. Sadly British dung beetles are in decline. The chemicals we use to treat livestock for parasites can be extremely toxic to them; wormers have had a devastating effect on native populations of these important little creatures. By targeting our wormers and reducing the amount of chemicals on the pasture we help to look after our beetles, benefiting not just our horses but the flora and fauna around us. In return they can save us money and time!
Twenty years ago few people had even heard about the problem of drug resistance and the technique of using worm counts with their horses for parasite control. That was until David & Gillian set out to change this from a tiny laboratory they created in the old dairy of their farm in Northumberland. Meet them as they talk through the history of Westgate over the last twenty years; how it began, its ethos and the evolution of the business helping people with the parasite control of their horses.
There’s a common misconception that worm egg counts can’t be used over winter but there are a number of instances when testing can provide very useful information between December and February.
🐴❄ Winter Parasite control for horses | Once the weather goes cold it’s time to treat for the possibility of encysted redworm and resistance test to check the treatment has been effective. Claire and Bertie talk you through it in this short video.
✅ Worm count
✅ Treat for encysted redworm
✅ Resistance test
Find out how easy it is to get test based parasite control sorted for your horse this autumn 🍂
✅ worm count
✅ EquiSal Tapeworm test
This will determine whether any treatment is required. Targeting wormers only where they are needed helps to slow resistance developing to the drugs we have available, as well as being better for your your horse and the environment!