May 2026 – Test don’t guess

We know that using Faecal Egg Count (FEC) testing can have a host of benefits.

It’s a factor for treatment decision. It can help estimate the amount of contamination on pasture. It can be used to test the efficacy of a treatment.

However, one Faecal Egg Count only shows a snapshot of that day.

Parasite situation can change quickly. If you sample on Day 1 and received a 0-egg result – this might not mean your animal has no worms, simply that it is too early in the worm’s lifecycle to be producing eggs. So, if you test 2-4 weeks later, you could have a positive result. Therefore, we need to be utilising more consistent FECs, every 2-4 weeks, across the grazing season. By using consistent Faecal Egg Count (FEC) we can monitor our sheep and cattle’s stomach worm burden across the grazing season. It can help take the guessing out of dosing and reduce unnecessary treatment.

All you need are gloves, a teaspoon, a plastic sealable bag (and some patience)

For a group sample – pick out your chosen group, try to keep it to a grazing group for easier management. The easiest time to get samples is when animals get up after a period of rest. They tend to stretch and dung. Fresh, warm dung is the goal here. Take a teaspoon of dung from different fresh pats – aim for 10-15 spoonfuls altogether. These can be put into sealable plastic bags or faecal sampling pots you can get from your vet. Send the samples off as soon as possible to either your vet or an approved lab with your details. Co-ops and merchants are also now offering Faecal Egg testing. If you are to send a sample in the post – send it early in the week to ensure it is tested using fresh dung. Do not freeze samples or leave in direct sunlight. Follow similar guidelines when individual sampling animals also.

It’s never too late to start sampling.