The Livestock Burdent of Parasitism Database: A Strategic Management Tool

The parasite burden of livestock places an enormous burden on both the animals and farmer. Parasite control usually involves the use of anthelmintics to which the parasites are rapidly developing resistance. To prolong the usefulness of the current generation of anthelmintics it is prudent to monitor their use and effectiveness, and provide reliable advice to farmers and veterinarians in order to minimise their use. We describe the prototype of the Livestock Burden of Parasitism database that is based on a Java interface to R which generates the web pages and graphics needed to respond to the requests of a user. The database is accessible at various levels according to the needs of the user and allows the input and checking of new data as well as the output of appropriate summaries of existing data. The database provides a tool for the management of anthelmintic use, the identification of successful treatment strategies and the provision of advice.