International approaches to the concept of integrated control of nematode parasites of livestock

Livestock production systems throughout the world are under severe and sust ained pressures. These are diverse and multi-factorial, ranging from the ne ed to redress the oversupply of livestock commodities from the protected in dustries of the industrialised world, meeting animal welfare expectations, attempts to ease animal-induced land degradation and pollution, and competi tion with alternative products. As a consequence. funding for research to t he ruminant livestock industries has been contracting universally. This app lies particularly to research on those diseases of grazing livestock that a re not zoonotic, threats to trade, or major "killer" diseases. Gastrointest inal helminths fall outside these priorities. The last decade has witnessed a major contraction throughout the world in the number of research centres and staff involved in applied veterinary parasitology research. This coinc ides with a time when these livestock industries need the most help. Resist ance to anthelmintic drugs amongst the major nematode parasites of sheep an d goats has now reached alarming proportions throughout the world and threa tens the future viability of continued small ruminant production in many co untries. Anthelmintic resistance is also increasing in the important nemato de parasites of cattle. Also, this time coincides with the apparent reducti on in the discovery and development of entirely new anthelmintic products b y the pharmaceutical industry. As a consequence, those remaining researcher s and extension personnel who have the responsibility of providing support to the ruminant livestock industry, are showing innovation and lateral thin king in ways to combat the perennial problem of internal parasites in grazi ng livestock. There are a number of excellent examples of parasite-control schemes, which do not rely entirely on anthelmintic treatment. These are no w being supplemented with some exciting novel approaches to dealing with pa rticularly pressing parasite problems. Also there is a move towards the dev elopment of true integrated approaches in the control of nematode parasites of livestock, which employ several of these methods when appropriate. This proves that as Ear as worm control in livestock is concerned, the old adag e "necessity is the mother of invention", holds true. (C) 1998 Australian S ociety for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.