Author Topic: Worming Question (Read 3961 times)

Roxy · « **on:** October 05, 2015, 11:17:12 pm »

I am later than usual worming my sheep. They are now due for their Cocci drench. Is it ok for me to do both at the same time .....or should I worm and then do the Cocci drench at a later date/ .It would mean I do not have to bring them in twice. Usually would have wormed by now, so it would not be an issue.

Tim W · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2015, 07:21:03 am »

''I am later than usual worming my sheep''-----sound like it's a regular event?

First do a FEC---see if you need to drench for worms or cocci

If they are adults it is unlikely they have a problem
If they are lambs they may need doing but what's the point unless you know you have a problem?

Roxy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2015, 02:00:34 pm »

We have had a worm count done for both the sheep and goats, and both showed a high cocci in the adults. I therefore think its best they are all done. Although the vet did point out that the adults can live with a certain amount of cocci. .....

Anke · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2015, 03:18:50 pm »

But cocci doesn't react to a wormer or a flukicide.... if the WORM count is low you don't need to worm. And adults WITHOUT any signs of illness can live with a high cocci count too... both goats and sheep. You only worry about high cocci in goat kids and lambs.

So probably just a flukicide needed if you fields are quite wet...

Roxy · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2015, 10:39:06 pm »

Thank you Anke. My fields were dry until yesterday, when we had torrential rain. I will do the lambs and kids to be on the safe side. Its just that the vet did say the cocci was extremely high in the adult sheep and goats, and I know the adults can live with cocci, but the extremely high bit did worry me I must admit.

Hellybee · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2015, 03:51:28 pm »

When I asked the same question to our vet he said that they shouldn't be done together. He said worm first.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2015, 07:31:03 pm »

Did your vet have any views on why the cocci count was so high? Are the sheep moved onto fresh grazing on a fairly regular basis? Are there any perpetually damp areas?

Hellybee · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2015, 10:41:25 am »

Birds pooping in your waterers n lick buckets maybe? I know when we had housed boys last winter and had a low count of them we scrubbed they're mangers and water trough with apple cider vinegar and pressure washed them.

Roxy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2015, 11:59:35 pm »

I have only just got the sheep when the cocci problem arose, but the vet could not say why it was so high. She was just making an observation with this remark I think. The sheep looked well enough. We are on very high ground here, so its not damp. I do not have many sheep, so the land is not sick. I did question if my poultry had been the cause, but diseases cannot cross between hens and sheep, so she said.

snowyriver · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2015, 02:00:23 am »

Quote from: Roxy on October 10, 2015, 11:59:35 pm

I did question if my poultry had been the cause, but diseases cannot cross between hens and sheep, so she said.

I'm not qualified to advise you on this matter, but I can honestly say that on our last farm we had cocci outbreaks annually in lambs grazing the same two fields, the ones next to the pheasant pens! We never had cocci anywhere else on the farm, nor did we drench (after FEC sampling) any other lambs with Vecoxan apart from these two lots. Was this coincidence or was cocci spread / carried by the poults?