NEW research has found poor worm management is costing some sheep farmers twice as much this year.
The reason is the increased value of sheep meat and wool.
A three-year Sheep CRC-funded project carried out by postgraduate researcher Gareth Kelly found poor worm control practices in summer rainfall areas cost farmers an estimated $11 per breeding ewe.
This was almost double the cost of $5.80/head on farms using good integrated pest management strategies which extended beyond drenching.
Mr Kelly said the findings reflected greater losses in production from higher meat, wool and replacement ewe prices over the past three years, compared with relatively unchanged sheep worm treatment costs of about $1.25/head.
The release of the research comes amid one of the worst years on record for worm control, the result of a wetter than normal summer and autumn across most of eastern Australia.
And, as some parasites are able to survive the winter, experts are warning of higher-than normal worm burdens this spring.
Worms cost Australian sheep producers up to $400 in loss of production each year, more than any other disease.
Mr Kelly recommended producers prepare spring lambing paddocks either by keeping sheep off these paddocks or grazing them with cattle during autumn.
Lowering worm burdens in autumn would boost the effectiveness of drenching in spring.
He said measuring worm burdens was also critical in managing the problem and that 40 per cent of drenches used in high rainfall areas were ineffective and led to greater resistance.
An integrated pest management which included testing and checking the effectiveness of chemical treatments and frequently rotating treatments would help to minimise drench resistance and was the most economical solution to controlling sheep worms.
While such a strategy may costs producers up to $1.25/head to implement, it was well worth it, he said.
"We can't quantify how many producers are still using typical worm control measures but we do know there is room for huge improvement."
The research was carried out in Merino enterprises in NSW's New England region.
