Scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland (DPI&F) are unravelling the way blowflies are able to strike sheep without the sheep being able to fight back.
The researchers have found that the maggots ‘trick’ the sheep’s immune system into not responding when it is challenged by disease or infection.
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Worms, lice and blowflies are the three biggest health problems for the Australian sheep industry and represent more than $700 million in direct and indirect costs to Australian woolgrowers every year.
Forecasts suggest that these costs could increase significantly, due to increased parasite resistance to chemical control, impeded market access from pesticide residues, and growing occupational health and safety concerns.
Sheep farmers could soon welcome a quick and easy test for barber's pole worm thanks to research from the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre.
The test detects blood in the sheep's faeces to identify whether barber's pole worms are present and to what level.