Many areas of the UK now at ‘high’ or ‘very high’ nematodirus risk levels for lambs that are six weeks old, with levels rising sharply in the last seven to ten days.
SCOPS run a nematodirus forecast map that is updated daily using data from 140 weather stations. This enables farmers to track changes in risk throughout the spring and early summer.
The interactive Google map allows farmers and advisers to select the nearest or most representative weather station and then provides advice on how to relate the predicted risk to their particular farm, treatment options and possible management actions.
Lesley Stubbings of SCOPS, who run a daily updated mematodirus forecast map said: “This year has been very different.
"The warm spell in February put early-born lambs at risk and many farmers had to treat earlier than normal.
"And then, as predicted, we also saw risk levels rise again after the cold start to April.
“The historic data (on the forecast website) is a really useful tool that I recommend having a look at. In some areas the colours have gone straight to black (without turning red) which emphasises the rapid fluctuations in temperatures we have had.”
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