When it comes to parasite management for your horse, faecal egg counts (FECs) are an invaluable tool. However, it’s crucial to understand their limitations. FECs do not directly correlate with the worm burden in your horse. World-leading equine parasitologist Dr Martin Nielsen’s research has shown that a low FEC does not necessarily mean a low parasite load, nor does a high FEC mean your horse is heavily burdened. Instead, FECs are best used as part of a diagnostic-driven deworming program, tailored to your horse’s specific needs.
At Avon Ridge Equine, we focus on precision medicine, creating tailored deworming programs based on each horse and property. Here are three key reasons why FECs are an essential part of a smart parasite management strategy:
1. Assessing the Effectiveness of Deworming Treatments
FECs allow you to evaluate whether your deworming program is working. By performing a Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT), you can measure the reduction in parasite eggs before and after treatment. This test ensures your chosen dewormer is effective and helps identify any potential resistance developing in the parasite population.
To conduct a FECRT, a baseline FEC is taken prior to deworming, followed by a second FEC 14 days after treatment. The results reveal how well the dewormer reduced the parasite egg count. For a treatment to be considered effective, you should see at least a 90% reduction. Anything less suggests possible drug resistance.
Why is this important? Widespread resistance to deworming drugs is a growing issue, and overuse of ineffective treatments can accelerate the problem. Without monitoring treatment effectiveness, you may unknowingly contribute to drug resistance. By using FECs, you can ensure you’re only using dewormers when necessary, preserving their effectiveness for the future and protecting your horse’s health.
Additionally, regularly monitoring dewormer efficacy helps you stay ahead of resistance issues. If resistance is detected early, you can work with your veterinarian to adjust your deworming protocol and adopt alternative management strategies to control parasites.
2. Targeting the Right Parasites in Young Horses
Young horses are particularly vulnerable to specific parasites. FECs can help determine whether strongyles or ascarids are the dominant concern. This is vital because the choice of dewormer depends on the type of parasite you’re targeting.
Foals and yearlings are especially susceptible to ascarids, which can cause significant health issues, including colic, poor growth, and intestinal blockages. If ascarids are identified as the primary parasite through FECs, treatments with effective ascarid-specific dewormers, such as those containing pyrantel or fenbendazole, may be recommended.
In contrast, strongyles become the main concern as horses mature. Young horses primarily face issues with cyathostomins (small strongyles), which can encyst in the intestinal wall and cause severe illness when large numbers emerge simultaneously. FECs help determine whether strongyles are present and guide appropriate deworming treatments. Targeting the correct parasites ensures that treatments are effective and avoids unnecessary use of broad-spectrum dewormers.
Beyond targeting the right parasites, FECs also help establish baseline data for young horses. This baseline can inform long-term deworming strategies as the horse matures, making parasite control more efficient and cost-effective.
3. Identifying High Shedders on Your Property
Not all horses shed the same number of parasite eggs. FECs help identify the high shedders – horses that contribute the most to pasture contamination. By focusing treatments on these individuals, you can reduce the overall parasite load on your property and minimise reinfection risks for other horses.
Research shows that about 20% of horses are responsible for shedding 80% of parasite eggs in a herd. Identifying these high shedders allows you to adopt a targeted deworming approach. Rather than deworming all horses at regular intervals, you can concentrate on treating the high shedders more frequently while leaving low shedders untreated unless necessary. This approach reduces the use of dewormers, slows the development of drug resistance, and promotes a healthier pasture environment.
Why does this matter? Effective pasture management hinges on controlling egg shedding. High shedders increase the risk of reinfection for all horses on the property. By using FECs, you can focus deworming efforts where they’ll make the biggest impact. For example, treating a high shedder during key times of the year, can significantly reduce pasture contamination and improve herd health overall.
At Avon Ridge Equine, we also recommend integrating FEC data into a broader pasture management strategy. Practices such as rotational grazing, regular removal of manure, and avoiding overstocking can complement targeted deworming to keep parasite levels low.
The Role of Diagnostic-Driven Deworming
The days of blanket deworming schedules are over. Diagnostic-driven deworming is the gold standard for managing equine parasites in a sustainable and effective way. This approach prioritises diagnostics, like FECs, to determine when and how to deworm rather than following arbitrary schedules. By tailoring deworming to your horse’s specific needs, we can:
- Reduce the risk of drug resistance.
- Avoid unnecessary treatments.
- Improve overall horse health and pasture conditions.
At Avon Ridge Equine, our approach ensures that every deworming program we create is based on your horse’s unique FEC results, age, health status, and environmental factors. Our goal is to provide personalised care that protects your horse while preserving the long-term effectiveness of deworming drugs.
Get Started with Avon Ridge Equine
Parasite control doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let Avon Ridge Equine help you implement a smart, diagnostic-driven deworming program tailored to your horse and property. With our guidance, you can:
- Protect your horse from harmful parasites.
- Preserve the efficacy of deworming drugs.
- Maintain healthier pastures and a stronger herd.
Want to know more about how FECs can optimise your horse’s deworming program? Contact us today to schedule a consultation or faecal egg count analysis. Together, we can take the guesswork out of parasite control and ensure your horse stays healthy and thriving.