A free service to allow farmers to have a vet visit and consultation on livestock parasite control, including faecal egg sampling and interpretation, will continue in 2023.

The Targeted Advisory Service for Animal Health (TASAH), available to all sheep and beef farmers, has been extended for next year under the parasite control strategy.

The TASAH funding enables farmers to receive individual farm-specific parasite control recommendations from the vet visit and the scheme will continue to be managed through Animal Health Ireland (AHI).

Anti-parasitic resistance

Announcing the extension for next year, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said the “development of a structured parasite control plan is critical to addressing the increasing challenge of anti-parasitic resistance”.

Farmers can avail of the free vet parasite consultation again next year. \ Philip Doyle

He said such resistance is a “major challenge to the health of animals in the country and can impact on the profitability of farms”.

“There has been a large uptake of the parasite control strategy this year and I expect that this will continue into 2023.

“I encourage all cattle and sheep farmers to register with the portal on AHI’s website to get the best practice advice on parasitic control for their holdings.

“The measure will assist in identifying non-effective treatments, reducing the frequency of treatments where necessary, and increase the capacity for monitoring and testing as part of a health plan,” he said.