"Parasitism is the most common way of life; more than 50% of animal species are parasites. They occur in all animals. Many have a profound affect on the health of people, domestic animals, livestock and wild animals " (University of Queensland website)

A worm egg count is a useful indicator of an animal's health and involves identifying and counting the various parasite larvae (worm eggs) in a sample of faeces from an animal or ground. 

Using a Whitlock multi-chamber slide the counting is performed with a microscopic examination of a measured sample of faeces in a specific dilution. Calculations are made following the count.

The technique was developed in CSIRO McMaster Laboratories in Sydney in the late 1930's, and used ever since.