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Natural sciences
- Parasitology
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Agricultural and food sciences
- Veterinary medicine not elsewhere classified
Infections with gastrointestinal worms have a major impact on the productivity of grazing cattle. Young cattle are particularly susceptible, as these animals have not yet developed immunity. Control of worm infections relies on the regular administration of deworming agents (anthelmintics). However, the timing and frequency of deworming is often not based on diagnostic information about the level of infection, which results in inefficient deworming. One reason for this is that the available diagnostic tools are complex and expensive compared to the cheap and easy to use anthelmintics, which encourages frequent use of anthelmintics. However, this approach is not sustainable, not cost-effective, not consistent with ‘evidence based medicine’ and is threatened by anthelmintic resistance. To better integrate deworming into grazing management, allowing for a more targeted use of anthelmintics, user-friendly, non-invasive and inexpensive decision support tools are needed that can advise the veterinarian and the farmer, preferably before the start of the grazing season, on measures to be taken. Several building blocks for targeted use of anthelmintics are already available: (i) a prototype tool, which will be validated and optimized in this project (ii) the intention of farmers to use diagnostic tools for worm infections was identified, (iii) there are sufficient technological possibilities from precision agriculture (ICT, apps) to apply monitoring and control measures and (iv) the growing interest in integrated farm management on dairy farms. The innovation goal of this project is to integrate these building blocks into a tool that supports the farm manager in making decisions that support sustainable dairy farming at the level of the individual farm (economic added value), the sector (reduced chance of resistance) and society (sustainable grass-based production).