Jack's story highlights the urgent need for NZ farmers to understand drench resistance.

Effective parasite management and regular FEC testing are essential for livestock performance and farm profitability. Working with experts like the FECPAK team help address this challenge by contributing positivity to livestock performance, health and productivity.

Case Study: Triple Resistance: Navigating the New Normal

This farmer identified triple resistance on his property in 2023. To protect the farmer's privacy, we will call him Jack. Jack manages sheep and beef farms in New Zealand's lower South Island. His story is similar to that of many farmers, Jack uncovered the reality of drench resistance and discovered the tools to manage it, thanks to completing a DrenchSmart FECRT.

After a period of steady growth early in the summer, in late summer 2023, Jack noticed his lambs were losing weight. He suspected it was due to dry weather and low feed, something he had experienced over the last couple of seasons. However, when he came to sell his lambs they didn't meet the weight he expected. 

Remembering a DrenchSmart FECRT (Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test) he had conducted back in 2018, Jack decided to undertake another test to determine whether a parasite problem was contributing to performance decline. To his surprise, despite achieving a 98% success rate in 2018, the 2023 tests proved with most of his drenches were less than 60% effective.

Because of a dry summer and autumn, Jack's resistance problem went unnoticed, as he had assumed low weight was due to the weather and grass growth.

After receiving his DrenchSmart report Jack had proof of the issue, which until that time he couldn’t see. 

Dealing with the reality of managing triple resistance, Jack teamed up with the FECPAK team. Together, they developed a plan to help improve his lambs’ performance with regular FEC by monitoring and a parasite management strategy.

Don't assume dry weather is the reason for poor lamb performance this summer. Book a DrenchSmart FECRT test to ensure your livestock performance and health and improve financial returns.