Antiparasitic Resistance

Antiparasitic resistance may be defined as the ability of a parasite e.g. gut worms/liver fluke to survive a dose of an antiparasitic drug that would normally be expected to kill them. If a large proportion of the parasites on a given farm are resistant to a given antiparasitic drug, treatment of the animals with that drug will no longer be effective.

If we do not act now, antiparasitic resistance will threaten animal health and welfare as well as the future sustainability and profitability of Irish cattle and sheep farming. It is by ensuring the responsible and prudent use of these invaluable medicines in animals that we will be able to safeguard their efficacy for future use.

• A range of information leaflets prepared by the Animal Health Ireland Parasite Control Technical Working Group are available on the AHI website. They include parasite control guidelines and information on specific parasites affecting Irish cattle and sheep: Animal Health Ireland Information
• A code of 'Good Practice Regarding the Responsible Use of Anthelmintic Medicines in Livestock' has been published by the Animal Health Ireland Parasite Control Technical Working Group and is available at: Parasite Control
• Teagasc Virtual Sheep Week 2020-Slowing the Development of Anthelmintic Resistance: Information on Anthelmintic Resistance
• Teagasc in collaboration with colleagues in DAFM RVLs have published a document for sheep farmers about the sustainable control of gut worms. You can download it below.

• Kelleher, Anne & Good, Barbara & Waal, Theo & Keane, Orla. (2020). Anthelmintic resistance among gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle on dairy calf to beef farms in Ireland. Irish Veterinary Journal. 73. 10.1186/s13620-020-00167-x is available at: Anthelmintic resistance
• You can download the Lamb Liver Fluke Antibody test Results August 2020 below:

In June 2020 DAFM established an Antiparasitic Resistance Stakeholder Group, chaired by the Chief Veterinary Officer, to address concerns related to the changed route of supply and to ensure a holistic approach is adapted in fostering the informed and prudent use of antiparasitics. Representative bodies from all stakeholder areas are involved with the Group. Three meetings have been held to date. This group will examine all the issues with two principal objectives:

• Protecting the efficacy of antiparasitics which are critical to the Irish pasture-based production model.
• Establishing a regulatory system that is pragmatic, retains a substantive role for existing stakeholders and delivers value for money for farmers.