27 Jun 2024
The Moredun Research Institute and partners have received the funding to explore mechanism of resistance to macrocyclic lactone injectables in the mite <em>Psoroptes ovis</em>.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Clinical sheep scab on Swaledale fell ewe. Image taken from CPD+ article An update on sheep scab control by Fiona Lovatt.
Researchers have been boosted in efforts to explore resistance to sheep scab treatments by a £1.2 million grant.
A team led by the Moredun Research Institute is looking at the mechanism of resistance to the macrocyclic lactone (ML) injectables in the sheep mite Psoroptes ovis and its spread across the UK.
The three-year award from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council involves partners at the University of Glasgow, Scotland’s Rural College and the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group.
Project lead at Moredun Stew Burgess said: “The £1.2 million award is a pivotal investment in our mission to combat the growing challenge of macrocyclic lactone resistance in the sheep scab mite, P ovis.”
Dr Burgess said: “Sheep scab remains a significant threat to livestock health and welfare, imposing substantial economic burdens on farmers across the UK. With this funding, we aim to decode the genetic basis of resistance and its spread, providing the agricultural community with vital tools and updated strategies to manage this pervasive issue effectively.
“This project strengthens our collaborative efforts with partners at the University of Glasgow and SRUC and reinforces Moredun’s commitment to pioneering research that drives real-world impact.”
Sheep scab is highly contagious and is estimated to cost the farming industry between £80 million and £200 million a year.
Control strategies rely on organophosphate sheep dips and ML injectables ivermectin, doramectin and moxidectin. However, over-reliance on ML injectables for controlling gastrointestinal nematodes and sheep scab has led to emergence of ML-resistant parasites.
Lesley Stubbings, of SCOPS, said: “Maintaining two effective control methods is essential for our ability to control scab in the future. Understanding the basis of resistance in the MLs, together with the potential for early detection, will allow the industry to develop strategies to manage and slow resistance.”
