Sheep Event 2014: Diagnostic tool for worms launched

Fecpak has launched its next generation, real-time diagnostic tool for monitoring sheep worms on-farm.

Its original tool was a microscope and required farmers to conduct egg counts, which was time-consuming.

But using the new FecpakG2 unit farmers simply need to take a dung sample and insert it into the device.

A camera inside the machine then takes a picture of the sample, which is uploaded online via a USB port connected to a computer. Samples are then analysed by Fecpak experts in New Zealand and results are available by the next day at the latest.

See also: Sainsbury’s invests in sheep worming technology

Demonstrating the product at the NSA Sheep Event, Malvern, Eurion Thomas, Fecpak, said it would remove operator error and help farmers make better worming decisions.

“The evidence of resistance to wormers is increasing and we need to be able to use these tools to deal with that.”

The system costs £400 and farmers are required to pay a monthly subscription of £35, which allows them to take 100 samples each year.

Sainsbury’s has already announced it will fund 50% of FecpakG2 costs for farmers within its Lamb Development Group.