Advanced Weighing and Selective Worming app
SmartWorm
TACKLE
WORM
RESISTANCE
Reduce wormer use by 40% with no loss of performance with our selective worming algorithm
Select replacements with proven resistance/resilience to worms, leading
to further wormer savings
Slow wormer resistance, protect your farms productivity and profitability
What is it?
SmartWorm is a world-first app to enable farmers conduct targeted selective worm treatment (TST) based on an advanced algorithm. This enables a sheep farmer to reduce their use of wormers by 40% without any loss of animal performance. This is achieved by identifying in real time which animals would or would not benefit from a wormer treatment.
The algorithm calculates a lambs potential growth rate based on a number of weight, physiological and environmental (pasture, weather) factors and gives them an individual target. If they are not reaching this target, it recommends treating the animal.
Why use it?
Controlling parasites is one of the biggest challenges facing sheep farmers. Modern parasite control is becoming unsustainable due to resistance issues with anthelmintics (wormers) on most farms, and is costing farmers millions each year. The 2015 WAARD Project in Wales showed that out of 47 farms tested, 94% have resistance to Benzimidazole (1-BZ), 68% have resistance to Levamisole (2-LV) and 51% of have resistance to Ivermectin (3-ML).
SmartWorm preserves the efficacy of anthelmintics by reducing their use to as much as necessary but as little as possible. This is crucial to maintain existing production levels, protect social licence and facilitate the sustainable intensification of agriculture into the future.
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"Key for me in using this solution was that it fitted into the existing schedule of handling my lambs every 4 weeks. It worked very well – I saved some drench, it was much faster dosing the lambs because I don’t have to dose them all, and there was no loss of performance. It’s a no brainer.”
Rhidian Glyn - Machynlleth, Wales (700-800 ewes)
Winner of the New Entrant Award at the 2018 British Farming Awards
Rhidian reduced wormer use by 38% with no comprise to productivity.
"Not only did I use less wormer, but I’m now able to select replacements that require less worm treatments. Therefore, I expect the wormer reduction to get better because I can now breed sheep who are resistant and resilient to worms. I feel I’m making a huge contribution to enhancing biodiversity and soil health on the farm due to the significant reduction in wormer use.”
Brian Nicholson - Kilkenny, Ireland (1000 ewes)
Irish Farmers Journal Writer and Teagasc BETTER Farms participant
Using SmartWorm, Brian reduced wormer use by 42% with no loss of performance.