New solution helps sheep farmers tackle worm resistance under the AHWP

The system offers faster access to results, clear vet reports, and less paperwork – helping farmers take advantage of government funding while keeping flocks healthy and treatments effective.

Developed by UK company VetDX, the system combines faecal egg count testing at Sandhill Laboratories with a simple digital reporting platform. It supports pre- and post-drench worming checks in line with AHWP guidelines, providing clear, timely lab results and structured vet feedback. Everything is logged digitally, giving farmers easy access to test outcomes and compliance records when needed.

The AHWP offers government funding to farmers to carry out these structured health checks. The pre- and post-drench worm assessments are essential to identifying resistance and supporting sustainable parasite control.

While the scheme brings clinical and economic benefits, the paperwork and logistics can be challenging to manage.

Laura Eden MRCVS, farm animal vet at Bishopton Vets, reflects on the improvements brought by the new integrated approach, she said: “What has really improved the process for us is how straightforward it is to submit samples and how quickly we get results back from Sandhill. It takes a lot of the hassle out of coordinating AHWP visits and lets us focus on the clinical side.”

Worm resistance is a growing threat to sheep productivity. Parasites such as gastrointestinal nematodes are a major cause of disease, poor growth and financial loss in flocks, and resistance to all main groups of wormers – including benzimidazoles, levamisole and macrocyclic lactones – is becoming increasingly common.1

Rachel Kirkby MRCVS, business development director at VetDX, added: “The AHWP is a real opportunity to help get on top of worm resistance in a structured, funded way - but only if the process works on the ground. That’s why we’ve focused on making it easy for farmers to get samples tested and for vets to provide results quickly, with everything properly recorded and ready for inspections or scheme paperwork.”

Even before launching the complete end-to-end solution, the VetDX app was being used in 8.3% of all sheep pathway visits last year. With only 4.8% of eligible farms participating in 2024, VetDX hopes that the smoother process will encourage wider adoption this year.

The sheep worming workflow is part of a broader suite of VetDX tools. The platform also supports BVD screening in cattle using a serum antibody test, applying the same streamlined approach.

To find out more about using the VetDX app for AHWP reviews, phone 03301335605, visit https://vetdxs.com/, email [email protected] or watch here