RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 5, 2014
ANIMAL HEALTH 43
UK supermarket supports global parasite project A N D REW SWA LLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
PARASITE TESTING pioneers Techion Group have signed a deal with leading UK supermarket Sainsbury’s to roll out the Fecpak G2 system, not just in New Zealand, but in the UK too. Fecpak G2 removes the need to post parcels of poo around the country for analysis and, crucially, eliminates uncertainty for those who were already doing their own egg counts onfarm (Rural News, June 17). Last week the Dunedin company announced Sainsbury’s will fund 50% of the FECPAK G2 hardware cost of NZ$800, and 50% of the $70/month subscription for suppliers for two years. In the UK meat processors Dunbia and Randall Parker Foods are involved, while Alliance is the processor partner in the project here. “The problem of increasing drug resistance by parasites to the drenches designed to kill them means we have to be smarter on how and when we use them,” says Fecpack founder and managing director Greg Mirams. So it’s important to make use of new technologies to make better decisions. “About 30 Sainsbury’s suppliers in the UK use it as part of the evaluation group and about 15 here – not as many because of the
Talking parasite testing: From right, Phil Hambling (Sainsbury’s), Kevin Brown (Randall Parker UK), Warren Leslie (Farmer), Greg Mirams (Techion) and Lawrence Woodrow (Stock Manager).
seasonality issue. But obviously we’ll start to pick up more now.” By linking veterinary and technical expertise with information generated straight from the paddock (see sidebar) the G2 system allows more informed parasite management decisions, increasing farm profits and lamb performance and reducing treatment costs. Canterbury farmer Tony Plunket, who has already signed up to the project, says it’s an exciting concept. “Testing the old way meant there was too much human error and it was taking too long…. Techion’s system is user friendly and puts accurate information at our fingertips so we can make a decision on the day [as to] whether we need to drench or not.” Another farmer participating is Warren Leslie, South Canterbury. “Animal health is a big expense to me – $6/ stock unit annually – and
I want to make sure it’s money spent wisely, in a sustainable way.” Leslie, who has hosted trials on issues such as tail docking for Alliance, says Sainsbury’s and Alliance’s support for the technology makes good sense. “Getting information and research on available technologies is good, but it’s often a challenge to know 100% whether they work until they work on your own farm system.” Sainsbury’s says it is pleased to support and encourage the rollout of the technology to its sheep farmer producer group to promote efficient, sustainable production while protecting and improving animal welfare. Techion’s initiative builds on a three year EU Parasol Project, started in 2006, with the original Fecpak system which found 74% of users reduced the number of drench treatments in lambs while not negatively impacting
animal performance. Mirams believes the G2 system will achieve even greater results. It has already been evaluated in the UK under the guidance of Dr Eric Morgan, Bristol University. “Our work with the system has shown that Fecpak G2 is highly repeatable in the hands of different farmers in the field,” says Morgan. Alliance general manager Murray Behrent is confident farmers will find the system beneficial and easy to use. “It is high-tech, but Techion have made it simple to get actionable results on a computer, no matter where the farmers are, in a short time.” While Alliance will always do its best in the market for suppliers, the more information and technology it can help them use to gain efficiencies behind the farmgate the better, he adds. “This R&D project helps us do just that.”
Here’s the deal! FECPAK G2 is offered as a hardware plus subscription service – a bit like a mobile phone deal – that allows users to submit samples for analysis over the internet without so much as a pellet of poo going in the post. “Basically you take a traditional dung test, look at it down the microscope and then put it online and a qualified technician reads the image of the sample,” explains Techion managing director Greg Mirams. For those who sent samples away, it will save the time and cost of postage and risk of degradation of samples due to delay between
collection and analysis. “There’s also no danger of the courier losing them,” adds Mirams. For those who’ve been doing their own egg counts it provides Greg Miriam. an independent and auditable check that the farmer, who may only look at such samples a few times a season, is getting counts right. “Effectively it takes away the fear of looking down the micro-
scope and asking yourself ‘do I see what I think I see?’: it’s a confidence issue for those who do their own samples.” Fecpak G2 results are returned online “within hours” and a farmer may opt to make them simultaneously available to his veterinarian, advisor or others in the business. Results can be graphed over time and images of each sample slide are stored, as well as the results, so justification for drench use is auditable with images available for checking later if need be.
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