§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent research he has commissioned into parasiticides. [17816]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe focus of research commissioned into parasiticides in respect of animal health is on sustainable disease control and research to develop alternatives to pharmaceutical control. The main sponsor for research of this kind in relation to helminths is the Scottish Office Agriculture Environment and Fisheries Department which is currently funding the following significant programme of research on nematode parasites in livestock—mainly sheep.
- £110,000: Biological properties of nematode resistance
- £730,000: Host response to challenge
- £210,000: Control strategies.
Full details of its research is published in its "Programme of commissioned research and development 1996–97" obtainable from SOAEFD' s scientific advisor's unit at Pentland house, Edinburgh.
In addition, the Central Veterinary Laboratory has just finished a three-year project to determine the effects of counter selection on reversion to anthelmintic susceptibility. A further small project is currently being funded to validate a commercial product to enable farmers to detect anthelmintic resistance. Beginning in 1997–98, a three-year project at CVL aims to develop a means of predicting whether anthelmintic resistance is likely to appear on a farm.
A major project at Compton is investigating immunity to coccidia which should eventually facilitate the development of immunological means of control if significant resistance does develop.
To mitigate development of resistance by sheep scab mites, MAFF is also supporting research aimed at controlling sheep scab other than by pharmaceutical means. Other MAFF research relating to developing alternatives to parasiticides includes work involving livestock flies.
Surveillance on anthelmintic resistance is ongoing via MAFF's Veterinary Investigation Service.
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