Sustainable Control of Haemonchosis in UK Livestock Grazing Systems (FAMACHA Card Training)

The course will take between 1-2 hours to complete. You will have access to the course for 60 days.

Gastrointestinal nematode worms (GINs), including the blood-feeding Haemonchus contortus, significantly affect the health of UK grazing animals, such as sheep and camelids. Unlike other GINs, H. contortus causes anaemia and weakness rather than diarrhoea and historically affects warmer UK regions. With changing climates, its prevalence is increasing across the UK.

Current laboratory diagnostics distinguish H. contortus infections but lack field applicability for timely treatment decisions. The University of Edinburgh aims to introduce the FAMACHA card system to the UK, by developing an online training platform at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. This initiative will improve awareness disease management strategies, integrate the FAMACHA system into existing health strategies, and foster a community for ongoing research collaborations.  

Experts from a wide range of UK and international organisations have contributed to the development of this course.

This course is aimed at small ruminant farmers, livestock keepers (e.g. camelid owners), SQPs (suitably qualified professionals who are licenced to sell anti-parasitics such as anthelmintics for GIN) and veterinary surgeons. The aim would be for farmers and livestock keepers to complete the online training and FAMACHA cards would be posted to their veterinary practice (where a vet has completed the training) to encourage FAMACHA use in the context of animal and farm health plans for GIN control. Two options for the course would be available as “users” and “advisors”. Upon completion of the course “users” would be posted 2x FAMACHA cards.

The course itself will contain short ‘training videos’ which presents the issues and how to use the FAMACHA cards effectively to identify the condition. Participants will engage with an MCQ to ensure they have understood. Participant registration details would then be used to register that they have completed the course with a certificate & unique ID. Then 2x cards would be sent to their veterinary practice for collection. This latter step is to encourage veterinary involvement in application of sustainable control practices at farm level. This aspect would be managed by the Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service as part of Farm Animal Services. 

• Understand the biology, epidemiology and control of gut worms, and how they cause disease, with a focus on Haemonchus contortus.
• Conduct investigations to determine whether Haemonchus contortus is responsible for problems seen including using the FAMACHA card system.
• Advocate for sustainable control and targeted treatment strategies for control of Haemonchus contortus infections in livestock.       

Farmers, suitably qualified persons (SQPs), animal keepers, and Vets. Content is based on UK systems.

The course is aimed at farmers, suitably qualified persons (SQPs) and Vets. Content is based on UK systems.