The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on January 31, 2011, 07:24:49 pm
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Ive just brought my first wormer, it doesnt say on the bottle or spec how long it will work for? would you drench once a year or every 6 months?
cheers
andy
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I got my wormer directly from the vet (he buys in bulk and decants the stuff), he said to worm twice a year, wasn't Panacur though.
:sheep: :farmer:
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Most adult sheep worm pre-lambing and pre-tupping,or instead of pre-lambing just after lambing your choice. Lambs maybe every 4-6wks from 1month old or use F.E.C. VIA VET depends on wether the grass has had sheep for years or no sheep,Panacur is awhite wormer next year change to a differant class
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how long it will work for?
Panacur doesn't have any persistant effect ie it will only kill worms that are in your sheep at the time of dosing - it will not deal with anything the sheep injests or that hatches at a later date.
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The view now is to do a worm egg count then worm accordingly. That way if you have used say a white wormer before the vet will recommend what to use depending on results. You should only worm 70% of sheep to ensure worms don't become resistant otherwise you have more problems.
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how long it will work for?
Panacur doesn't have any persistant effect ie it will only kill worms that are in your sheep at the time of dosing - it will not deal with anything the sheep injests or that hatches at a later date.
:( 8)
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is that correct?
The land they are on now has never had sheep, all the sheep when i brought them were wormed, so should have been clean on arrival.
I am worming amongst other ruitine jobs, like checking teath and foot trimming before they are turned out.
so if there happens to be some worms in others that are lambing later in April does this mean that if they pick them up again they are not restistant?
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Andy - I'm going to stick my neck out a bit here. I know I'll get others who might (will) disagree. Firstly, I've used various wormers with my sheep over the past few years, always change to another when the bottle runs out. Both my pastures have had no sheep on them for years and years. Thus to avoid building up immunity, I dosed only every 4 to 6 months. The lady I bought some of my original Dorsets from had never had to worm hers as she'd never had any problems with them. Likewise, I've never had any problems with mine either, and they have been tested. To be honest, I think we can become to reliant on chemicals and they really should only be used when they are needed. Now I'll wait for the flack............ :D :D :D
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Dosing strategies vary according to how you manage your flock. Your best option is to talk it over with your vet - develop a flock health programme that is geared to your indiidual sheep and your circumstances.
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No flak from me. Mine came on to clean grass here too, and at Longcarse. They were wormed prior to arrival. I do a faecal worm egg count in April and October with a mixed dung sample - last year both tests showed no worm eggs, so I didn't worm. The two lambs we had killed had healthy livers - I asked the butcher for a report. I plan to graze them in a rotation with the heifers and the ponies.
I had one with a dirty bum and I took a faecal sample specifically from her but she was clear - I think she had ODd on the sugary lick ;D
I will give them a flukicide as they move from the lambing shed to a clean field with their new lambs, as some of our land is wet, but won't dose again unless the faecal sample shows a problem.
I agree we're too reliant on chemicals. We've been spun a line by the manufacturers that we have to dose or we're bad stockmen, so we've become scared not to dose for everything. Before I bought my first sheep, I looked through the "Scottish Farmer" and scared myself silly with all the chemicals available and consequently, all the things my sheep would die from if I didn't dose them. I spoke to my vet about my concerns and he was of the opinion that if you ain't got a problem, don't treat it. My new vet is of the same mind.
I absolutely agree with VSS - make a friend of your vet; ours has been invaluable.
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I just dagged her, nothing more. The wool was OK under the top mucky layer
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Mine have never been wormed by me, worm counts have been clear. New arrivals are wormed and put in a separate pen/field for a few days. But I do have fluke and treat once in late autumn and then again at turn out after lambing. has worked so far.... but I keep on doing the worm counts.
I also had cattle grazing my main field last year, to help keeping it clean.
If the sheep were clean on arrival and went onto clean ground there shouldn't be much chance of picking up worms.
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I have to admit I agree with Morri2!
If your sheep were healthy and wormed on arrival, are still healthy and the ground was clean (ie no sheep for a VERY long time) the best thing to do is have a worm count done....no worm eggs = no worm problem! Now that does not apply to coccidosis nor fluke but again if its not a wet boggy pasture with marsh, pond or stream it is unlikely to have fluke and if no sheep etc for ages unlikely, but not impossible for coxy to be around, not that you can do anything to prevent it until you know if its there!
I have pasture that I have used and rotated for years and only worm when necessary because I know what is likely to occur, we have boggy pasture in places and deer who bring little visitors at times!...of course that does not apply if the land you use has had unknown health status sheep on it for years....or you buy in sheep from a variety of sources and don't know what they were wormed with nor what they might have bought with them.
I personally think chemicals are used much too freely, which causes a lot of the resistance problems.
A farm health plan is useful....however if the vet only has 'paper' knowledge of sheep he or she will recommend the standard commercial management plan which is as far as I am concerned too over dependent on drugs....however a good sheep vet will differentiate between intensive commercial systems and organic type/low intensity systems and advise and help accordingly...
just my pennyworth...
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Our vet's a farmer's son and he's great. And no, I'm not telling you who he is or where he is 'cos YOU CAN"T HAVE HIM ;D
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haha
All very interesting......
As I have bought the panacur I think I will dose them all the once as one supplier of some the sheep said they had been wormed but as I wasnt actually there who knows if it was done !!!
Another interesting comment was the wet ground, the ground they are on is wet in some paces and has some standing water.....flukicide may be required?
How do we test for the fluke to see if flukicide is reqired? I have read that its not nice if they get it and causes permant damage !!
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The test for fluke is by faecal egg count or via a blood sample you need to speak to your vet.When you dose your ewes by weight dont under estimate , from the pics could be 80+kgs
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thats a 10ml dose if I can remember rightly maybe I should do a 12ml to make sure....
when gathering poo for an egg count, whats the proceedure? as you can take some fresh smarties from the field but some may have worms and some may not? or if there are worms will all the sheep definatley all have them so gives an overall avearge mean?
how does it work?
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I just take as many little bits from as many bigger heaps (the freshest looking ones), until I have enough. I usually also do two samples. For fluke I treat all ewes, as most of mine have come from one place, and they came with it.... but I do have wet ground(just flooded recently again) right next to the river.
If you have a few of your ewes in pens, take samples of them, then some more from the ones outside. The vet will also advise. And empty margarine cartons (cleaned of course) are fine.
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How many cartons would you fill?
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I use an old soup spoon and take a spoonfull from anything steaming and collect about a cupfull , mix it together for an ave sample.
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I normally take in two sample pots for about 15 ewes. Just evens out the results a bit. For any ewe that looks dirty around her bum/or otherwise not well and worms are suspected, pen for a wee while in a clean spot (or bring inside), and then take individual sample.
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so can you see them yourself? or do the vets have to look under a microoscope? I have often looked but just see a solid dark brown colour!!