Dawbuts Quarterly Newsletter
September 2026 | Practical livestock parasitology updates for veterinarians, producers and rural store teams
In this edition: seasonal parasite trends, product and disease updates, field opportunities, research highlights and practical OvaCyte guidance.
OvaCyte price hold
Backorders of OvaCyte analysers and cassettes (WEC, Dual and Fluke) will be available on 21 October 2026. Those wishing to order now can rest assured that the introductory prices (as published on the Dawbuts website) will hold until the end of October.
Analysers cost A$5,400 (starter kit and 3 cassettes with flotation fluid included) + GST.
Startect availability
Startect (derquantel + abamectin combination) is a sheep drench widely used across Australia and New Zealand. However a report from our colleagues across the Tasman Sea, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, indicates that manufacturing difficulties may lead to a lack of supply.
Producer of Startect, global animal health company, Zoetis, has been advised by the manufacturer of the unique active ingredient, Derquantel, that it will no longer manufacture the drench active. Zoetis is now looking for a new manufacturer for the unique active ingredient in this product. As a result, Startect will most likely be unavailable in 2027.
Zoetis Australia Business Unit Manager Peter Fitzgerald notified resellers of the Startect manufacturing problem earlier this year, noting that current supplies are good, but that supply will likely run out in 2027. Current stock is long-dated to June 2028.
New Zealand’s Wormwise Programme Manager Ginny Dodunski advises farmers to plan ahead to ensure they don’t lose access. She emphasises that this also provides an opportunity to consider other sustainable worm control methods such as breeding, vaccines, targeted selective treatment and paddock management.
Producers who use or are planning to use Startect should contact their local rural store or veterinary supplier for more details.
Brown stomach worm in cattle
Putting out the feelers.
Spring and early summer is the time of the year when brown stomach worms (Ostertagia ostertagi) begin to become inhibited. This means that instead of just completing their development through to adult worms in the abomasum (4th stomach) of cattle, they burrow into the mucosal lining and suspend development at the larval stage.
This usually happens in yearling to 2 y.o. cattle.
If you have any cattle that you suspect have inhibited Ostertagia, let us know! We are looking for cooperators for a trial.
Signs are a history of brown stomach worm in the paddock, cattle not performing as expected, usually low to medium worm egg counts with Ostertagia present in the larval culture.
Jersey winners
Avian Influenza update
Animal Health Australia report that the outbreak of virulent H5N1 avian influenza (AI) has now reached all states. Cases have been restricted so far to wild birds and animals, including mammals such as dolphins, seals and a fox.
This probably means that foxes (and probably cats and dogs) picking up or eating affected birds could also develop the disease. It is advised that pet or working dogs are kept away from bird rookeries and not allowed to scavenge on dead birds.
There is a chance of avian influenza spreading to livestock, as dairy cattle in the USA have become infected, and a single sheep infection has been reported from the Yorkshire region of the UK.
For more information on Avian Influenza, see Wildlife Health Australia.
Action: Avoid contact with sick or dead birds, record details and report suspected cases to the National Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Cobbitty Pony Club
Camp this year takes place from 7-10 October. Equine star tutor Kim Dawson will be conducting worm testing, pony assessment including weighing and drenching advice.
Topics include:
· Knowing what worms are in your horse
· When is a paste a pest?
· Downsides of dumb drenching
· Healthy horse, happy life!
Update from the Kamiya Laboratory
Lab Manager Phil Stein said that worm egg count and larval results are changing as the season warms up.
“We’re consistently seeing higher counts in mobs of sheep,” says Phil. “Recent counts from around central NSW have had a lot of sheep with over 1,000 eggs per gram. On top of that, there is a greater percentage of barber’s pole worms from sheep all though New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The barber’s pole worms didn’t go away this winter, we saw them from across a wide area right through the cold months, but just in a lower percentage in the larval culture.”
Cattle samples have also shown seasonal trends.
“Cooperia numbers peak in late spring, leading to higher counts. One thing we can definitely say is that the properties using combination treatments on cattle have lower counts. Places that are using single active mectins are leaving behind both small intestinal worms (Cooperia) and cattle barber’s pole worms (Haemonchus placei).
Rumen flukes or paramphistomes
Rumen flukes are frequently found at post-mortem examination in Australian cattle. Therefore it is no surprise to find that they often turn up in OvaCyte fluke tests. The eggs are about the same size as those of a liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) but are colourless instead of the liver fluke’s yellow colour.
Adult fluke numbers in the rumen and reticulum vary greatly but can be as many as 11,000 (in one cow!)- see this article in Veterinary Parasitology. Because of dilution in the faeces, egg counts are usually in the low tens, with counts of 100 or over considered to be high.
However finding rumen fluke eggs doesn’t mean the animals are clinically affected. This is because the adult rumen flukes (the egg-laying stage) are relatively benign. It is the juvenile stage (pre-egg laying) that causes irritation to the small intestine, with diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, dehydration).
Finding rumen fluke eggs does however, provide an indication that disease in young cattle is likely to occur.
Dr David Homer joins Dawbuts
We are pleased to announce that David Homer, (about to finish his tenure for Nutrien Ag Services as national veterinarian) has commenced work for Dawbuts.
Starting from mid-August 2026 at 1 day per week, David brings his considerable experience and expertise working with vets, pharmaceutical companies and rural stores to assist with sales, support and development of the OvaCyte business across Australia.
David's assets are not confined to his professional abilities. His dry sense of humour and sanguine manner are also greatly valued by colleagues across the country.
We look forward to sharing time with him on this phase of his career journey.
Please join us in welcoming David to Dawbuts.
Parasitology updates
It is thought that there are 4 main mechanisms involved in internal parasites developing resistance to anthelmintics (drenches).
a) Beta-tubulin mutation in the DNA of the parasite
b) Drug efflux- P-glycoprotein pumps drug out of parasite cells
c) Receptor alteration- modification of molecular structure of target receptor
d) Polygenic resistance- multiple genetic adaptations all combining to stop the parasite being susceptible to the drug.
Want to breed sheep that have immunity to parasites?
You are not alone. Sheep Genetics Australia have plenty of resources to point you in the right direction.
A team of researchers from Canada and Brazil have looked at the various mechanisms for resistance (immunity) to parasites and summarised them in this paper.
‘In conclusion, emerging multi-omics approaches and their integration strategies provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex host–parasite interactions that govern GIN resistance, offering potential candidate biomarkers for genomic selection and breeding programs aimed at developing sustainable, parasite-resistant sheep populations.’
Using genomic markers to select for parasite-resistant sheep has proved elusive to date, but hopefully that will all change soon as more research comes to light.
Dr. Jacqueline Matthews
This article provides a timely update on the different internal parasites of horses and their resistance status. Click on the title (above) to see details of the comprehensive article by one of the world’s authorities in diagnosing and managing horse parasites.
Of particular concern is the recurrence of tapeworms (Anoplocephala perfoliata) in horse populations due to resistance to both praziquantel and pyrantel. Tapeworm infection is related to high levels of colic, so monitoring them is critical for horse management. Numbers increase over spring and summer due to increased presence of intermediate hosts, the oribatid mites which live in grass.
Spring is a good time to test for tapeworms in your horses.
Telenostic, the manufacturers of Ovacyte, have come up with an improved, sensitive protocol for horse tapeworms. Using the same cassettes as a standard equine WEC test but with a larger sample (80g), it can pick up tapeworm infections down to a level of 5 eggs per gram, which is consistent with the guidelines for a clinical worm burden.
Contact Dawbuts for more details.
Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists - Vet Science Week Gold Coast, 23-25 July 2026 Abstracts
Theileria orientalis in dairy farms of Western Australia
Dr Joshua Aleri
Bovine anaemia caused by Theileria orientalis group (BATOG) causes significant production and economic losses in Australia’s cattle industry. The pathogenic T. orientalis genotypes reported in Australian cattle are type 1 (Chitose) and type 2 (Ikeda). The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of T. orientalis genotypes in adult lactating cows in Western Australia (WA) dairy herds. A total of 100 whole blood samples from lactating cows from 10 farms were obtained and screened for T. orientalis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sanger sequencing was subsequently used to characterise T. orientalis genotypes isolated from positive samples. A total of thirteen cows (13%; 95% CI: 7.1–21.2%) were positive for T. orientalis, and six out of ten farms (60%; 95% CI: 26.2–87.8%) housed at least one T. orientalis-positive cow. The distribution of T. orientalis was found to be wide and dense in the South west region of WA and the southern coast of WA. The predominant T. orientalis genotype identified was Ikeda (n = 11, 11%; 95% CI: 5.6–18.8%), while the Buffeli genotype was identified in WA for the first time, albeit at a low prevalence (n = 1, 1%; 95% CI: 0.0–5.4%). This study has provided useful epidemiological evidence on the prevalence and distribution of T. orientalis in adult lactating dairy cows in WA dairy
Editors note. Dr. Aleri, previously of Murdoch University, has moved this year to a teaching and research position at University of Queensland. We wish him all the best for his new job.
Building a digital twin for real-time on-farm parasite management decisions
Dr Ryan Luckman
DAGI (Drench And Grazing Integration) is a decision-support application that generates paddock-level heat maps showing both larval contamination levels and anthelmintic resistance risk. Farm managers input grazing movements and drenching events; the model responds with colour-coded visualisations ranking paddocks by total infective larvae (L3) on herbage and proportion of resistant versus susceptible worm populations, enabling targeted grazing decisions to minimise larval challenge in young stock while preserving refugia. The system integrates two established research frameworks adapted for New Zealand conditions. The Turned Worm model (Laurenson, University of New England; funded by Meat & Livestock Australia) provides the mathematical foundation for simulating complete nematode lifecycles across three genera (Trichostrongylus, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus), incorporating temperature-dependent development rates, survival parameters, and species-specific establishment and fecundity. The Q-Graze model (AgResearch, New Zealand) predicts pasture intake from sward composition and animal parameters, providing metabolisable energy estimates alongside wet faecal mass calculations that convert faecal egg counts into daily egg deposition. A novel feature separates all lifecycle stages into "susceptible" and "resistant" cohorts based on drench exposure history, enabling dynamic tracking of refugia proportions at both paddock and mob levels through heat map outputs. Following commercial launch in December 2025, we present data from the first six months of field use, comparing model-predicted contamination against farmer-collected faecal egg counts and documenting changes in grazing decisions following heat map implementation. This presentation demonstrates how established research can be translated into practical on-farm tools, with preliminary validation of model accuracy and observed behavioural change in parasite management.
Parasitology technology
Matthew Playford
Gastrointestinal helminths are ubiquitous in grazing livestock. Parasites cause the most costly livestock diseases in Australasia (Shephard 2022) and resistance to anthelmintics is commonplace. However the majority of livestock producers in both Australia and New Zealand fail to conduct faecal egg counts (FECs) or drench tests (faecal egg count reduction tests or FECRTs) on a regular basis.
This could be due to perceived cost, time, inconvenience (e.g. low FECs prevent calculation of resistance) or simply lack of awareness of the benefits of monitoring and testing. Moreover, the bulk of testing to date has been conducted by traditional diagnostic laboratories, adding days for transport via post or courier.
Recently-introduced automated methods can be based closer to farms and economise on labour and preparation time, which are the main contributors to the cost of testing amongst surveyed laboratories (Hedley et al. 2019). Adoption of FECPAKG2 (Techion, Dunedin, NZ) and ParaSight Systems (Kentucky, USA) machines over the past 7 years has led to about 150 machines being deployed in rural stores, vet clinics and on farms across Australia and New Zealand.
Some technologies outlined below are clinic-ready and should be considered as a means to improving herd health and productivity.
Polymerase chain reaction
Attempts to use the PCR for quantification of worm eggs have shown a positive but low correlation (Hoglund et al. 2013; Reslova et al. 2021).
PCR for egg or larva GIN speciation was improved using robotic techniques by AusDiagnostics after pioneering research by University of Melbourne (Roeber et al. 2011) and trialled by both government and commercial parasitology laboratories in NSW and Victoria. However use was discontinued except in research labs, due to economy of scale meaning that tests were batched for a weekly run rather than conducted same day. Furthermore, consistent results using PCR require eggs to be cultured to the genetically-stable Dauer stage (L3) prior to testing, which takes 7 days, negating any benefit in rapidity.
The other limitations of PCR-based tests include the associated costs (PCR test setup more expensive than larval culture) and the need for qualified operators (Roeber et al. 2012). Despite considerable amount of research in this field by scientists and parasitologists, there is currently no commercial quantitative test for FECs or worm identification.
Nevertheless, the PCR and associated methods do have potential to identify the known markers of drench resistance (Francis, Antonopoulos et al. 2023), albeit for limited numbers of active ingredients. This test, once validated for all anthelmintics, has the potential to replace field-based drench resistance tests.
Microscope slides
The McMaster slide has been in use in Australia for 80 years and is still the standard for clinic-based diagnostics (Paraboss WECQA). Limitations are low sensitivity (typically 50 eggs per gram. epg) and slow throughput. Trials show very high correlation between FEC and total worm count in calves for Cooperia and Haemonchus (Teixeira et al. 2021).
The Mini-FLOTAC is a thermoplastic cylindrical counting slide that can be rotated 90 degrees to allow the eggs floating in saturated saline solution to be taken away from the debris in the faecal matter. Therefore, the saline solution is relatively clear, making counting worm eggs easier and faster (Ianniello et al. 2015). The main benefit for cattle application is high sensitivity (5 epg).
Automated machines
ParaSight System uses chitin-binding fluorescent markers to label and identify four different types of eggs (nematodes, cestode, coccidia, ascarids) (Slusarewicz et al. 2016). This sensitive (5epg) automated system can potentially improve the accuracy of the diagnostic test by reducing the error of human operators. Genus identification for Haemonchus, based on the peanut agglutinin lectin (PNA) (Palmer and McCombe 1996) is conducted separately after the FEC has been completed (Parasight 2023) and takes around 20 minutes.
Advanced imaging capability using a novel Micro-I device (Nano-I) has enabled the use of egg morphology to be incorporated into Techion’s new version of the FECPAKG2 platform. Testing of worm eggs to determine variation in morphometrics is underway (Techion Group Ltd, Greg Mirams pers. comm.).
The OvaCyte analyser (Telenostics, Ireland) uses a high volume (4mL) sample in a rotating thermoplastic cassette to take 180 images and differentiate and count strongyle, Nematodirus, Haemonchus, Moniezia and coccidia eggs. Sensitivity is 3 epg, making it suitable for cattle monitoring and drench resistance testing. Further identification of pathogenic Eimeria oocysts is in development. A separate cassette counts liver fluke and paramphistome eggs, providing the means for rapid diagnosis of flukicide resistance.
Automated weighing
In beef cattle, the pasture-based satellite-linked Optiweigh system has been proposed as a means of monitoring de-pastured cattle for growth rates (Duwalage et al. 2023), but this system also lends itself to monitoring the effects of GINs and can also provide a convenient warning of decreasing performance and need for intervention.
Virtual fencing and tracking
GPS collars such as Halter as well as other movement sensors can track animal movement, which has been shown to be correlated to worm burdens (Ikurior 2021).
Pasture larval contamination estimates
To overcome the complexity of sampling, processing and counting third stage larvae on pasture, computer models and spreadsheets have been adapted to estimate contamination, based on mob worm egg counts, climatic conditions and time. (McFarland et al. 2022).
Conclusions
Cattle veterinarians have options to replace the time-honoured microscope-based McMaster egg count chambers with more sensitive automated test devices that improve diagnostic capability, provide a level of speciation and are easier to conduct. Reference laboratories are still important for validation of automated methods and to continue to develop simpler, more accurate techniques for diagnosis of helminthoses and anthelmintic resistance.
References
McFarland C, Rose Vineer H, Chesney L, Henry N, Brown C, Airs P, Nicholson C, Scollan N, Lively F, Kyriazakis I, et al. Tracking gastrointestinal nematode risk on cattle farms through pasture contamination mapping. Int J Parasitol 52, 691-703, 2022
Halter® | Virtual Fencing and Pasture Management
Duwalage KI, Wynn MT, Mengersen K, Nyholt D, Perrin D, Robert PF. Predicting Carcass Weight of Grass-Fed Beef Cattle before Slaughter Using Statistical Modelling. Animals 13, 2023
Hedley N, Richards DG, Palombo EA. Looking for insight: The role of parasite tester opinions in farm management. Prev Vet Med 171, 104769, 2019
Hoglund J, Engstrom A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Demeler J, Tyden E. Real-time PCR detection for quantification of infection levels with Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora in cattle faeces. Vet Parasitol 197, 251-7, 2013
Ianniello D, Bosco A, Rinaldi L, Coles GC, Cringoli G. The recovery of added nematode eggs from horse and sheep faeces by three methods. In: WAAVP. p 361. (Liverpool, UK) 2015
Ikurior S. Towards Developing Support Tools for Sustainable Control of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Sheep. Massey University, Palmerston North, 2021
Reslova N, Skorpikova L, Kyrianova IA, Vadlejch J, Hoglund J, Skuce P, Kasny M. The identification and semi-quantitative assessment of gastrointestinal nematodes in faecal samples using multiplex real-time PCR assays. Parasit Vectors 14, 391, 2021
Roeber F, Jex AR, Campbell AJD, Campbell BE, Anderson GA, Gasser RB. Evaluation and application of a molecular method to assess the composition of strongylid nematode populations in sheep with naturally acquired infections. Infect Genet Evol 11, 2011
Roeber F, Larsen JWA, Anderson N, Campbell AJD, Anderson GA, Gasser RB, Jex AR. A molecular diagnostic tool to replace larval culture in conventional faecal egg count reduction testing in sheep. PLoS One 7, 2012
Shephard RW. Priority list of endemic diseases for the red meat industry — 2022 update. MLA, 2022
Slusarewicz P, Pagano S, Mills C, Popa G, Chow KM, Mendenhall M, Rodgers DW, Nielsen MK. Automated parasite faecal egg counting using fluorescence labelling, smartphone image capture and computational image analysis. Int J Parasitol 46, 485-93, 2016
Teixeira WFP, Gomes LVC, Felippelli G, Buzzulini C, Zapa DMB, Cavalcante ASA, Borges DGL, Ferreira LL, Santos TRD, Soares VE, et al. Investigation of fecal egg counts versus worm burden and helminth fauna in cattle treated or not with macrocyclic lactones in a tropical region. Vet Parasitol 300, 109618, 2021
World Buiatrics Congress, Istanbul — September 2026
Bui-what??
‘Buiatrics’ simply means ‘Cattle Medicine’. The World Association of Buiatrics (WAB) is a group for cattle vets from all over the world. The recent congress, held in Istanbul, Turkey 6-10 September 2026, had a record number of attendees with 3,742 delegates.
Many Australian cattle vets were there, among them Dr. Joey Rheinberger, who was elected to the WAB board of governors. We take this opportunity to congratulate Joey on the honour and recognise her contribution to cattle medicine in Australia and around the world.
The next WAB congress will be held in Jeju, South Korea in October 2028.
CSIRO project
Dawbuts is participating in a project to develop a novel test for diagnosing worms from the faeces of livestock. The CSIRO -led project aims to enhance the work done in labs like Dawbuts.
If you or anyone you know is interested in participating, please contact Dawbuts. We will send you a one-page note outlining the trial for you to sign, giving your permission for samples to be used.
Research update
Canadian study shows the adverse impact of worm egg counts in feedlot cattle
A study published by researchers from Saskatchewan and Alberta shows the impact of gastrointestinal nematodes in feedlot cattle on Finishing weight, Average daily gain (ADG), Carcase quality, and Yield.
A total of 234 head of steers, average bodyweight 276kg entered the trial and measurements were made on worm egg count (WEC) at arrival, induction and various time points during the 177 day feed period.
Although average worm egg count was low (9.1 eggs per gram or epg) and individual counts ranged from 0 to 53.7 epg, there was a profound impact on performance.
Highly significant results
· An increase of FEC by 10epg decreased the finishing bodyweight by 6.3kg (p=0.01).
· An increase of FEC by 10epg decreased the average daily gain (ADG) by 30.2g/day (p=0.04).
· For every 10epg increase in FEC, the odds of yielding a AAA carcase (compared to a AA carcase) decreased by 29.5% (p=0.02).
· For every 10epg increase in FEC, the odds of a carcase receiving a yield of grade 1 as opposed to a yield of grade 2 were 1.57 time higher (p=0.005).
Other studies
These findings, (published in Translational Animal Science 2026, 10, 1) confirm the Australian study results published by Shephard et al. in Veterinary Parasitology Sept 2022.
Abstract
A randomized controlled trial determined the effects of anthelmintic treatments on growth and production performance, and carcass quality in western Canadian feedlot cattle. Fall-weaned, auction-derived steers (n = 234) were randomly assigned to three groups: untreated control (CTRL), injectable ivermectin (IVM), and injectable ivermectin combined with oral fenbendazole (IVM + FZ). Steers were dosed according to individual body weights and manufacturers’ recommendations. Individual fecal and blood samples were collected at feedlot arrival to determine fecal egg counts (FEC) and serum O. ostertagi antibody titers. The effects of anthelmintic treatments on live body weights (BW), dry matter intake, average daily gain (ADG), gain-to-feed ratio, and carcass quality characteristics were analyzed at the pen level. Individual FEC and serum O. ostertagi titers were used to estimate effects of gastrointestinal nematode infection intensity on growth, production, and carcass traits at the steer level. Live BW (P ≥ 0.46), dry matter intake (P ≥ 0.48), ADG (P ≥ 0.60), and gain-to-feed ratio (P ≥ 0.36) were not associated with anthelmintic treatments in either the backgrounding (day 0–28) or finishing (days 29–177) phase. Hot carcass weight (P = 0.97), dressing percentage (P = 0.41), backfat thickness (P = 0.33), and rib-eye area (P = 0.97) also showed no differences between treatments. The IVM + FZ treatment increased the proportion of carcasses with modest marbling compared with CTRL and IVM (P = 0.002) and tended to produce more AAA carcasses than CTRL (P = 0.06), whereas IVM alone increased the proportion of yield grade 2 carcasses compared with the other treatments (P = 0.006). Higher FEC at arrival (mean 9.1 ± 10.2 eggs per g of feces) were associated with lower ADG during the finishing phase (P = 0.01), reduced hot carcass weight (P = 0.03), and a lower percentage of AAA carcasses (P = 0.02). Increasing serum O. ostertagi titers were linked to thinner backfat (P = 0.004) and a greater proportion of yield grade 1 carcasses compared to fatter yield grades (P = 0.04). The results indicate that anthelmintics used in western Canada improved certain beef cattle carcass qualities and that relatively low gastrointestinal nematode burdens may still be associated with measurable adverse impacts on feedlot performance under these conditions.
Take-home messages
1. Productivity of beef cattle (BW, ADG, carcase quality, yield) is profoundly impacted by gastrointestinal worms.
2. These impacts are seen even at relatively low worm egg counts.
3. Producers wanting to improve profitability need to know both worm egg count of cattle and drench efficacy to maximise growth rates and carcase quality.
Tips for using the OvaCyte machine
David Homer shares his top 3 tips for getting more value out of OvaCyte analyser testing.
Records. Make sure you add details of mob, paddock, previous treatments before starting the test. These are critical pieces of information for interpreting results, as well as for sorting through at a later date for recognising trends and helping with management. This data can be downloaded in an Excel file at a later date for analysis and decision-making.
Printing out reports. The OvaCyte webpage now allows you to email reports directly from the results page. Images can be added for explanation and impact. Choose the image size (large or small).
Cattle testing. Many new users will be unfamiliar with the high level of sensitivity available with the OvaCyte machine for testing cattle worm eggs. Since the average worm egg count of mobs of cattle across Australia hovers around 80 eggs per gram (Dawbuts Kamiya laboratory data), a traditional McMaster count with 50 epg sensitivity would have seen 1 or 2 eggs. With OvaCyte (3 epg limit of detection) the same 80epg sample will see 26 eggs. This means that new estimates of impact on performance, as well as highly sensitive tests for drench resistance, can be done simply and quickly.
OvaCyte allows one-pass identification of barber’s pole worm eggs
Comparison of OvaCyte™ Speciation and PNA staining for the detection of Haemonchus contortus in ovine faecal samples
N Elghryani, G Lahan, JB Gohain, T Mcowan, T Waal
Published in Front. Vet. Sci., 10 December 2025
Recent advancements have led to the development of an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered OvaCyte™ Speciation method, which can quantify the proportion (%) of H. contortus eggs among strongyle eggs in a faecal sample. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of the OvaCyte™ Speciation method compared to the conventional peanut agglutinin (PNA) fluorescence staining method as a true reference across 110 fresh ovine faecal samples. A very strong correlation was observed between OvaCyte™ Speciation and peanut agglutinin staining (rα = 0.90, p < 0.05). OvaCyte™ Speciation demonstrated a high sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 89% for the detection of H. contortus.
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