Biosecurity and Roundworm Advice for Cattle Enterprises (BRACE)

蛔虫在英国养牛业中无处不在，由于其对生产力的影响以及牲畜和相关处理的环境影响（例如生物多样性损失和绿色气体排放），畜牧生产者和政策制定者越来越关注蛔虫。在英国，只有少数化合物（苯并咪唑（BZ），左旋咪唑和大环内酯（ML））来控制这些病原体和耐药性（驱虫药耐药性（AR））的流行正在增加。ML耐药性在英国常见，最近记录了首例BZ耐药性（BZ-r）。目前对英国牛蛔虫中BZ-r的流行情况知之甚少。一个非常有效但经常被忽视的控制战略是适当的检疫/生物安全。确保采取适当措施，通过有效的生物安全/疾病管理将病原体排除在畜群之外或限制疾病的传播，对于延长现有驱虫药的使用寿命至关重要。以前的问卷调查工作强调，只有一半的答复者对新购买的股票进行任何检疫处理。为了提高对生物安全建议的接受程度，我们必须首先探索牛贸易（由于其潜在的重要性）在传播蛔虫和引入AR的潜在风险中的作用。通过开发研究牛蛔虫AR流行和发展的工具，并了解影响采用最佳实践建议的因素，包括态度，文化和实际障碍，我们可以为设计强大的，有证据支持的，最重要的是，生产者可接受的控制建议提供信息。与农民和其他利益攸关方的接触将有助于为机械传播模型模拟设定情景，并随后开发量身定制的知识交流工具。传播产出是该项目的核心，因为所有工作包都为开发知识交流工具提供信息，以有效传播可持续蛔虫控制和生物安保建议。利益相关者的参与将是最大限度地吸收商业农场最佳实践指导的优先事项。了解影响农民采用意愿的因素，将有助于研究者与项目之外的利益相关者之间的交流。该项目将汇集一个多学科和跨学科的团队，联合收割机和整合最先进的分子寄生虫学，社会科学和数学建模方法，以：-量化蛔虫/抗性的风险：使用测序技术表征在拍卖中出售的牛的蛔虫感染，以研究英国牛群中BZ-r的流行和出现/进展-探索潜在的影响/结果：参数化，开发，并应用机制模型模拟a）最佳/当前实践对蛔虫和抗性传播的影响，方法是跟踪农场引入的蛔虫的潜在命运，以探索动物运动在驱虫剂抗性传播中的作用，以及B）为利益攸关方会议和活动提供视觉输出，以突出特定做法的潜在成果。模型方案将受到在英国三个地点举行的寄生虫学研究结果和研讨会/讨论小组的影响。- 了解做法和态度：进行定性和定量研究，以探讨生产者对养牛户生物安全和可持续蛔虫管理的态度和应对策略、感知风险和对当前建议的接受情况。- 沟通结果：开发一系列有效的知识交流工具和材料（包括虚拟视觉参观），以新的形式提供持久的资源，帮助吸引更广泛的受众，视觉和互动方法已被证明是农民学习的首选方法。

Roundworms are ubiquitous in UK cattle industry and are of growing concern for livestock producers and policy makers due to the impact they have on productivity and the environmental impacts of livestock and associated treatments (e.g. biodiversity loss and Green House Gas emissions). In the UK there are only a few compounds (benzimidazoles (BZ), levamisoles and macrocyclic lactones (ML)) to control these pathogens and resistance (anthelmintic resistance (AR)) prevalence is increasing. ML resistance is commonly reported in the UK, and the first case of BZ resistance (BZ-r) was recorded recently. Little is currently known about the current BZ-r prevalence in UK cattle roundworms. One very effective, but commonly overlooked, control strategy is appropriate quarantine/biosecurity. Ensuring appropriate measures are taken to keep pathogens out of herds or limit the spread of disease through effective biosecurity/disease management is essential for increasing the lifespan of the available anthelmintics. Previous questionnaire work highlighted that only half of the respondents administer any quarantine treatments to newly purchased stock. To improve uptake of biosecurity recommendations, we must first explore the role of cattle trade (due to its potential importance) in the dissemination of roundworms and the potential risk of introducing AR. By developing tools for studying the prevalence and development of AR in cattle roundworms, and understanding the factors that influence adoption of best practice recommendations, including attitudinal, cultural and practical barriers to adoption we can inform the design of robust, evidence-backed and most importantly, producer acceptable, control advice. Engagement with farmers and other stakeholders, will aid in scenario setting for mechanistic transmission model simulations and subsequently the development of tailored knowledge exchange tools. Dissemination of outputs is central to this project as all work packages inform the development of knowledge exchange tools for effective communication of sustainable roundworm control and biosecurity recommendations. Stakeholder engagement will be a priority to maximise uptake of best practice guidance on commercial farms. Understanding factors which influence farmers' adoption intention will benefit communication between researchers and stakeholders beyond this project. The project will bring together a multi- and inter-disciplinary team to combine and integrate state-of the art molecular parasitology, social science and mathematical modelling methodologies to:-Quantify the risk of roundworms/resistance: Characterize roundworm infections in cattle sold at auction using sequencing technologies to study the prevalence and emergence/progression of BZ-r in UK herds-Explore potential impact/outcome: Parameterise, develop, and apply a mechanistic model to simulate a) the impact of best/current practices on roundworms and resistance transmission by tracking the potential fate of roundworms being introduced on farm in order to explore the role of animal movement in the dissemination of anthelmintic resistance and b) generate visual outputs for stakeholder meetings and events to highlight potential outcomes of particular practices. Model scenarios will be influenced by the parasitology findings and workshops/discussion groups being held at three sites across the UK. -Understand practices and attitudes: Conduct qualitative and quantitative studies to explore producers' attitudes and coping strategies towards, perceived risks & uptake of current advice on biosecurity and sustainable roundworm management for cattle farmers. -Communicate Results: Develop a range effective knowledge exchange tools and materials (including a virtual visual tour) that will provide a lasting resource in a novel format to help engage a wider audience, both visual and interactive methods have been shown to be the preferred method for farmers to learn.