Deb Bain and her FECPAK unit offer real time test results.
Farmers can now receive instant WEC test results thanks to a revolutionary new proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) feature within the FECPAK on-farm testing system.
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Produced by New Zealand company Techion, FECPAK is a portable, on farm parasite testing solution for producers.
Managing director Greg Mirams says innovation makes it the fastest and most efficient WEC test solution in the world.
“We created the model in collaboration with Aware Group (recently purchased by HSO), a specialist Microsoft Partner, which worked with us to develop the AI WEC counting technology.
“It’s incredibly accurate.
“We had to ensure egg counting was correct because farmers rely on precise results to guide decisions about whether to drench or not.
“It means no matter the day or time, we process WEC tests within a few minutes, with the results emailed directly to the user.”
He said producers can quickly determine if they need to treat stock when they’re already in the yards, optimising time and ensuring healthier livestock.
“There’s no waiting over weekends or delays for holidays; it’s done on the spot, in real time.”
Techion trained and tested the AI software on more than 120,000 WEC test samples submitted by FECPAK customers which had been counted by technicians.
It was further validated on an additional 22,000 samples, achieving >96 per cent accuracy; exceeding the reliability of many human technicians.
The company is continuing to monitor results to ensure quality and reliability are maintained.
Deb Bain is chief executive of her family’s 12,000 head fine wool Merino enterprise, farming on 2,000 hectares in south west Victoria.
They have been using FECPAC for two years, doing roughly 80 tests annually. She says the new AI feature is a game changer in terms of time saving and quick decision making.
“The best way I can describe it is FECPAK creates timeliness,” Deb says.
“It is so much more efficient if we can WEC test and know the outcome while the sheep are in the yards or shed.
“We can do a quick test, get the result straight away and make the decision to treat or not on the spot. We don’t need to rely on anyone else or wait for a result.
“With FECPAK we have confidence in our worm management program, just more quickly and effortlessly.”
Charlie Bell manages a large mixed farming operation on 2,000 hectares at Taralga in New South Wales. They run around 18,000 Merinos.
He also uses FECPAK to monitor animal health and is rapt with the new AI feature.
A snapshot of the on-screen information provided by the software.
“Having instant WEC test results allows us to make quicker decisions – it saves a lot of time,” he says.
“We can constantly monitor and manage our Merino weaners in a way that is simple, on farm and so quick.
“The way FECPAK works is great for us and how we run the farm.”
The instant AI feature is the first in a suite of product improvements FECPAK will launch this year.
The company is developing a new digital microscope with enhanced imaging capability to enable a range of tests, including cattle and sheep coccidia and parasite speciation, facial eczema and pasture spore count.
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