Innovation Visit will focus on sheep worm and fluke management
Date published:
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) invites applications from sheep farmers interested in attending an Innovation Visit as part of the Farming for Sustainability – Innovation Scheme.
This visit will focus on innovations in sheep worm and fluke management and will take place in Scotland, home to the world-renowned Moredun Research Institute and leading commercial sheep enterprises.
The Innovation Visit will run from Monday 3 August to Wednesday 5 August 2026, with travel on the Monday evening to allow for two full days of visits.
This is a valuable opportunity to gain experience on how the latest research and practical approaches are can address key flock health challenges, including anthelmintic resistance (AMR), fluke control, and emerging sheep diseases.
The visit will begin at the Moredun Research Institute, where participants will gain insights into innovative research on parasite control, diagnostics and treatment strategies. This will include the use of faecal egg counts, resistance testing and interpreting results to support more targeted and effective treatment decisions.
At Moredun’s Firth Mains Farm, farmers will see how diagnostic tools, targeted selective treatment (TST), and data-led approaches can improve flock health and reduce reliance on routine treatments. Participants will also explore advanced technologies, including demonstrations of recent advances in precision livestock farming (PLF). Farmers will learn about advanced diagnostic tools such as lateral flow tests for fluke detection and emerging technologies such as the T.Circ test, which can assess an animal’s resilience to worms and inform future breeding decisions.
The second day will include visits to progressive commercial sheep farms in the surrounding area, where innovative technologies and management practices are being implemented in practical farming systems.
Over the two days farmers will gain first-hand knowledge of how diagnostics, data and breeding tools are being used to improve worm and fluke control, including the potential to select sheep with greater natural resilience to parasites, supporting improved animal health, performance and farm sustainability.
Applications are invited from one member or employee of a farm business, aged 18 or over. Eighteen places are available on this visit, with applications prioritised based on eligibility criteria, including a minimum flock size of 100 ewes.
Farming for Sustainability – Innovation Scheme is part of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme. Costs associated with travel, accommodation and meals will be covered by the programme. Participants will be expected to meet any other costs, including farm relief and travel insurance.
Farmers interested in participating can find further details and complete an application form on the CAFRE website.
Applications will close at 4:00pm on Monday 8 June 2026.
Notes to editors:
- Follow DAERA on X formerly called Twitter and Facebook.
- All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or telephone: 028 9016 3460.