Doramectin and albendazole resistance in sheep in The Netherlands

A faecal egg count reduction test was conducted on a sheep farm with suspected avermectin resistance. Five groups of 10 sheep were formed. Group 1 was the untreated control group. Groups 2–5 were treated according to weight with the recommended dose of, respectively, levamisole, doramectin, moxidectin or albendazole. Resistance was found in the sheep treated with doramectin (15% efficacy) and albendazole (87% efficacy). Levamisole and moxidectin were 100 and 99% effective, respectively. Larval identification of the faecal cultures of the doramectin-treated sheep revealed 100% Haemonchus contortus larvae. After albendazole treatment, 77% of the cultured larvae were H. contortus and 23% Teladorsagia / Trichostrongylus . Because there is a lot of trade in sheep on the farm, it is probable that the resistant worms were introduced with livestock from other farms than being selected on the farm.