ParaBoss WEC QA Program

 Worm egg counting—is your provider up to scratch?

Producers rely on accurate and precise results from their worm egg count (WEC) providers.

Unfortunately, not all WEC providers have accurate and precise results.
Almost 30% of operators failed to meet the 2019 ParaBoss WEC QA standards. 
 

These results included long-established operators, as well as those with less experience.

The ParaBoss WEC QA Program identifies WEC providers that meet suitable standards. These providers are listed on the WormBoss Service Providers pages, and each business may also display the ParaBoss WEC QA logo.

Find a WEC provider

Find more about participating in the 2021 ParaBoss WEC QA program

There are many opportunities for error

Worm egg counts already have inherent inaccuracy, however, when done correctly they enable producers to make confident decisions on whether or when to drench and about the efficacy of drench products.

Results that lack accuracy and precision may not reflect the actual worm burden of a mob. This can result in drenching too soon with unnecessary cost as well as the opportunity for drench resistance to develop, or animals are unprotected when they should be drenched, or misleading data is used to choose drenches.

Worm egg counting (WEC) is a multi-step process offering numerous opportunities for errors to creep in.

Sample identification, sub-sample selection, weighing, diluting, mixing, and aliquotting, all occur before the sample is even under the microscope—all can easily introduce errors. Then the identification and counting errors can occur, followed by mistakes from using the wrong multiplication factor and from simply multiplying the results incorrectly. And finally, transcription and reporting errors can occur. All of these errors were seen in the 2019 Program.

• Whether a WEC provider offers free counts, such as from a rural merchandise store, or they are paid services from a local veterinary clinic or dedicated WEC laboratory, customers expect the result to be correct.
• If you use WEC services, check to see whether your WEC provider is on the list of successful ParaBoss WEC providers. If they are not, ask them to participate in the annual program.
• If you are a WEC provider, whether your service is free or paid, participate in the annual ParaBoss WEC QA program to see whether your services meet the standards. If they do, you can display the WEC QA logo and ParaBoss will list your business. If you don't meet the standards, then this is the opportunity to review and improve your services to meet the expectations of your customers.

An annual program maintains standards

Experience of our senior parasitologists tells us that processes can drift. Errors can creep in with time, new staff, new equipment, and from simply not having a good review and checking protocol in place.

Therefore, annual programs keep operators vigilant and the list of assured providers up to date.

A similar program was run by DPIRD WA for some years, and NSW DPI before that. There was a gap until ParaBoss established a program in 2019, and of course the 2019 results very much justified the need for a program.

Unfortunately, the program was unable to be run in 2020 because severe freight delays (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) would have compromised sample quality.