?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=https%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2Fid%2Feprint%2F10825%2F&rft.title=Controlling+Ectoparasites+on+Welsh+Organic+Sheep+Farms&rft.creator=McLean%2C+Dr+Barbara&rft.creator=Frost%2C+David&rft.subject=+Environmental+aspects&rft.subject=+Health+and+welfare&rft.description=1.+Organophosphate+(OP)+based+dips+offer+a+broad+spectrum+control+against+all+major+ectoparasites+in+the+UK.+However%2C+there+is+continuing+controversy+over+the+safety+to+dip+operators+and+the+environment.+The+use+of+OPs+is+prohibited+by+organic+standards%2C+primarily+because+of+concerns+about+mammalian+toxicity.%0D%0A2.+Organic+farmers+are+permitted+to+use+synthetic+pyrethroids+(SPs)(dip+products+and+pour-on+products)+and%2For+macrocyclic+lactones+(injectable+products)+to+treat%2Fcontrol+ectoparasites+providing+a+derogation+has+been+obtained+from+the+certifying+body.%0D%0A3.+SPs+have+been+shown+to+be+considerably+more+toxic+to+aquatic+organisms+than+OPs.+The+environmental+impact+of+SPs+is+not+limited+to+levels+in+dip+but+also+to+residues+in+sheep+fleeces.+SPs+may+be+removed+from+the+wool+by+climatic+conditions+and+then+deposited+in+the+local+environment.%0D%0A4.+The+Environment+Agency+have+indicated+that+the+majority+of+sheep+dip+pollution+incidents+involve+SP+dips.+Concerns+have+been+raised+that+as+organic+farmers+can+only+use+SP+based+dips+they+may+be+contributing+to+the+higher+levels+of+SP+based+pollution+incidents.%0D%0A5.+There+is+little+information+as+to+current+practices+amongst+organic+sheep+farmers+to+control%2Ftreat+ectoparasites+or+on+how+these+farmers+dispose+of+the+spent+dip.+In+order+to+address+this+lack+of+information+a+survey+was+carried+out+by+ADAS+Pwllpeiran+to+investigate+current+practices+amongst+sheep+farmers+in+Wales.+For+comparison+purposes+both+conventional+and+organic+farmers+were+included+in+the+survey.%0D%0A6.+In+total%2C+134+questionnaires+were+completed+with+96+completed+by+conventional+sheep+farmers+and+the+remaining+38+being+completed+by+either+in-conversion+organic+farmers+or+fully+registered+organic+farmers.%0D%0A7.+Results+showed+that+58%25+of+organic+farmers+surveyed+treated+their+flocks+for+ectoparasites+compared+to+67%25+of+conventional+farmers.%0D%0A8.+Of+the+organic+farmers+surveyed%2C+52.6%25+listed+flystrike+as+a+parasite+for+which+they+treated+their+flocks.+This+was+comparable+to+conventional+farmers+where+58.3%25+listed+flystrike.+Only+21.1%25+of+organic+farmers+surveyed+listed+scab+compared+to+61.5%25+of+conventional+farmers.+Less+than+10%25+of+both+conventional+and+organic+farmers+surveyed+treated+for+other+ectoparasites.+Those+who+did+listed+lice+and+ticks+as+the+main+ectoparasites.%0D%0A9.+Despite+a+large+percentage+of+conventional+farmers+listing+scab+as+an+ectoparasite+to+be+treated%2C+only+11.5%25+of+those+surveyed+treated+for+%E2%80%98scab+only%E2%80%99+compared+to+51.0%25+who+treated+for+scab+in+combination+with+other+ectoparasite+control.+A+similar+pattern+was+seen+amongst+organic+farmers+surveyed%2C+where+only+2.6%25+treated+for+%E2%80%98scab+only%E2%80%99+whereas+18.4%25+treated+for+scab+in+combination+with+other+ectoparasite+control.%0D%0A10.+Of+the+organic+farmers+surveyed%2C+36.8%25+treated+for+%E2%80%98flystrike+only%E2%80%99+compared+to+7.3%25+of+conventional+farmers.%0D%0A11.+Despite+other+ectoparasites+such+as+lice+and+ticks+being+listed+by+both+conventional+and+organic+farmers+neither+of+these+two+parasites+were+treated+singly+but+were+always+treated+in+combination+with+other+ectoparasites.%0D%0A12.+Of+conventional+farmers+surveyed+who+treated+for+ectoparasite+control%2C+76.1%25+listed+plunge+dipping+as+the+preferred+dipping+method+compared+to+only+22.7%25+of+the+organic+farmers+surveyed+who+treated+for+ectoparasites.%0D%0A13.+The+use+of+pour-on+products+was+higher+amongst+organic+farmers+with+54.5%25+using+pour-ons+as+a+treatment+method+compared+to+16.5%25+of+conventional+farmers.%0D%0A14.+Less+than+5%25+of+the+organic+farmers+who+treated+for+ectoparasites+used+a+combination+of+treatments+compared+to+19%25+of+conventional+farmers+who+treated+for+ectoparasites.%0D%0A15.+When+asked+how+often+they+treated+for+ectoparasites%2C+54%25+of+organic+farmers+treated+once+a+year+compared+to+42%25+of+conventional+farmers.+27%25+of+organic+farmers+treated+twice+a+year+whereas+52%25+of+conventional+farmers+treated+twice+a+year.+14%25+of+organic+farmers+treated+three+or+more+times+a+year+compared+to+7%25+of+conventional+farmers.%0D%0A16.+All+organic+farmers+who+carried+out+plunge+dipping+operations+used+a+SP+based+product+however+of+the+conventional+farmers+who+carried+out+plunge+dipping%2C+39%25+used+an+SP+based+product.+Overall%2C+16%25+of+organic+farmers+surveyed+used+an+SP+based+dip+product+compared+to+24%25+of+conventional+farmers+surveyed.+Of+all+conventional+farmers+surveyed+38%25+used+an+OP+based+dip+product.%0D%0A17.+Where+farmers+carried+out+plunge+dipping%2C+53%25+of+conventional+farmers+diluted+spent+dip+before+spreading+to+land+compared+to+83%25+of+organic+farmers+who+carried+out+plunge+dipping+operations.+Of+all+the+farmers+surveyed+who+carried+out+plunge+dipping+only+1+treated+dip+with+slaked+lime+before+spreading.%0D%0A18.+Of+all+organic+farmers+surveyed%2C+5%25+used+a+mobile+dipping+contractor+compared+to+23%25+of+conventional+farmers+surveyed.%0D%0A19.+Where+contractors+were+used+on+organic+holdings+they+were+also+responsible+for+the+disposal+of+spent+dip.+The+contractor+was+responsible+for+the+disposal+of+dip+on+74%25+of+conventional+holdings+using+contractors+for+dipping.%0D%0A20.+On+42%25+of+the+holdings+using+contractors%2C+the+spent+dip+was+removed+from+the+farm+whereas+on+32%25+of+holdings+the+spent+dip+was+spread+on+the+farm+land.+26%25+of+farmers+using+contractors+in+this+survey+did+not+know+how+the+contractor+disposed+of+spent+dip.%0D%0A21.+The+percentage+of+farmers+treating+their+flocks+for+ectoparasite+infestations+is+similar+for+organic+(58%25)+and+conventional+(69%25)+sheep+farmers+however+there+is+a+marked+difference+in+the+species+of+ectoparasites+treated.%0D%0A22.+Of+the+conventional+farmers+who+treated+their+flocks+for+ectoparasites%2C+86%25+listed+scab+as+a+major+parasite+compared+to+only+36%25+of+organic+farmers+who+also+treated+their+flocks+for+ectoparasites.%0D%0A23.+Overall%2C+only+3%25+of+the+organic+farmers+surveyed+treated+their+sheep+specifically+for+scab%2C+compared+to+11%25+of+conventional+farmers+surveyed.%0D%0A24.+Of+organic+farmers+surveyed%2C+37%25+treated+their+flocks+specifically+for+blowfly+strike+compared+to+only+7%25+of+conventional+farmers+surveyed.%0D%0A25.+Of+the+conventional+farmers+surveyed%2C+51%25+treated+their+flocks+for+more+than+one+ectoparasite+infestations+compared+to+18%25+of+organic+farmers+surveyed.%0D%0A26.+From+the+evidence+of+several+of+the+completed+survey+forms+some+farmers+appeared+to+be+using+incorrect+treatment+methods+and+some+were+using+multiple+treatment+methods+to+treat+ectoparasite+infestations.+The+use+of+incorrect+treatments+or+multiple+treatments+is+largely+a+reflection+of+the+plethora+of+products+available+and+suggests+a+lack+of+understanding+as+to+which+products+are+appropriate+and+licensed+for+the+treatment+of+specific+ectoparasites.%0D%0A27.+The+survey+found+that+fewer+organic+sheep+farmers+use+SP+dips+than+conventional+sheep+farmers+do.+As+there+are+fewer+organic+sheep+farmers+overall%2C+there+is+little+evidence+that+organic+sheep+farmers+contribute+disproportionately+to+the+level+of+SP+based+pollution+incidents.%0D%0A28.+Summary+of+Recommendations%3A%0D%0AA.+A+further+in-depth+survey+would+be+valuable+to+elucidate+the+extent+of+the+scab+problem+in+the+national+organic+flock.%0D%0AB.+Both+organic+and+conventional+farmers+have+difficulty+in+selecting+the+best%2F+most+appropriate+treatment+for+their+flocks.+An+educational+campaign+would+help+to+remedy+this+problem.%0D%0AC.+Annual+training+courses+for+certifying+bodies+and+advisors+to+keep+up+to+date+with+developments+in+research+and+products+are+recommended.%0D%0AD.+Given+the+potential+for+SP+dips+to+cause+major+environmental+damage+if+disposed+of+incorrectly+it+is+a+mandatory+requirement+that+organic+farmers+are+licensed+by+EA+to+dispose+of+spent+dip.+Inspectors+should+ensure+cross+compliance+where+organic+farmers+are+using+dip.%0D%0AE.+Certifying+bodies+need+to+consider+all+the+available+evidence+as+to+what+chemicals+should+be+permitted+to+treat+scab+and+other+ectoparasites+and+where+appropriate+make+alterations+to+the+standards.%0D%0AF.+Inspection+of+dips+facilities+and+EA+licence+should+be+part+of+the+annual+inspection+procedures.%0D%0AG.+Certification+bodies+should+collate+information+on+dipping+practices+and+dip+disposal.%0D%0AH.+Where+a+pollution+incident+occurs+on+an+organic+holding+this+should+be+reported+to+the+relevant+certifying+body.%0D%0AI.+Development+and+evaluation+of+IPM+programmes+should+be+assessed+as+a+management+tool+to+reduce+use+of+chemical+treatments+whilst+promoting+good+animal+husbandry+and+management.+IPM+programmes+should+be+incorporated+with+animal+health+plans.&rft.date=2003-12&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=%2Fid%2Feprint%2F10825%2F1%2Fectoparasitewales.pdf&rft.identifier=+++McLean%2C+Dr+Barbara+and+Frost%2C+David+++++++++(2003)+Controlling+Ectoparasites+on+Welsh+Organic+Sheep+Farms.++++ADAS%2C+Pwllpeiran+.++++