What is an FEC?

A faecal egg count (FEC) is a useful tool for monitoring roundworm and coccidia burdens 

Why do an FEC?

There are a number of good reasons to perform an FEC prior to deciding to deworm, including:

• Ensuring long-term anthelmintic effectivity

• Only worming for roundworms when an individual horse needs it! 

• • • The 80:20 rule. Roughly 80% of the parasite load is shed by 20% of the herd!!!

    • This means that only roughly 20% of the herd requires more regular deworming for roundworms

• Identifying when a treatment is not required saves you time and money 

• Gaining an understanding of  the  levels of pasture contamination can aid in pasture management 

• Ensuring a new horse is ready to enter the main pastures after a quarantine treatment

What is a Drench Test?

A drench test is performed to understand the efficacy of a particular anthelmintic. An FEC is done on a dung sample taken on the day of worming, prior to worming, with a second FEC being done on a sample collected 14 days post-worming. 

Why do a drench test Test?

• Wormer rotation has not been shown to decrease acquired anthelmintic resistance and should not be relied on as your only insurance for effective worming

• If there is resistance to the anthelmintic used, this may result in

1. Animals carrying high levels of parasites which could affect their health and performance at a subclinical level

2. Wasting money on ineffective dewormer

3. Increased levels of resistance of the current parasites to the anthelmintic used

4. Increased levels of resistant parasites being shed in pastures

• This a routinely recommended test, particularly for equines, as part of an individual anthelmintic treatment plan. 

The ERP measures the time interval between the last effective anthelmintic treatment and the resumption of significant roundworm egg shedding. 

This test aids in developing a deworming program specifically for your herd/flock.  Weekly FEC testing is performed for 4 - 6 weeks, depending on the anthelmintic used.