Project Overview

This 3-year study looks at conventional wormers (anthelmintics) used to control gastrointestinal parasites in cattle. It also focuses on cattle feed supplements that are often marketed for their possible potential to control internal parasites. These supplements may include nematode-trapping fungi, herbal formulations, remains of diatoms, high-tannin forage and novel anthelmintics.

The work focuses on looking at the impact of these treatments on UK dung fauna, and relating this to dung decomposition.  Fieldwork trials will focus on their potential toxic impact on invertebrates and microorganisms that inhabit the dung. In addition, any impact on rates of decomposition of dung in the field will be researched. Laboratory toxicity studies will be carried out to back up fieldwork.

All fieldwork takes place in Pembrokeshire. Marc & Sally Evans, Cuckoo Grove Farm and Roger  & Jackie Mathias, Furzy Mount, Camrose (and nephews) supplied cattle for the trial in 2009. These matched cattle were randomly split into groups, and each group was randomly assigned a different treatment during the early grazing season of 2009:

1. Ivermectin

2. Diatomaceous Earth

3. Garlic pour-on

4. Duddingtonia flagrans nematode-trapping fungus

5. Verm-X herbal internal parasite control

6. Diatomaceous Earth Mineral Lick

7. Copper Bolus

8. Homeopathic Treatment

9. No Treatment

Dung was collected from each group of cattle pre-worming and at regular intervals post-worming. The dung was frozen and artificial dung pats were formed from the dung of each group of cattle and placed in a grid at the field site in St Davids. Field and laboratory trials look at faecal egg counts from each group of cattle, assess the impact of treatment on dung invertebrates and on dung removal and nitrogen cycling.

I hope to be able to repay the generosity of local farmers by keeping them comprehensively informed with any developments in my work, and giving a number of talks and seminars throughout Pembrokeshire and beyond.