The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Hillview Farm on January 31, 2014, 07:37:14 pm
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Just had a FEC done by Mole valley farmers and to say the least I'm a little disappointed as they provide very little advice as to what should be done. I am a little unsure whether the strongyle is high or just a small amount? Can someone tell me what I should do? And if wormer is needed, what?
The results:
strongyle 200
nematodirus <50
coccidial oocysts <50
Advice: low infection
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Translating your FEC results into an action plan is not straight forward and depends on quite a few variables;
1) Age of stock being tested---your/immature lambs will be more susceptible to worms and be able to put up with a low worm burden---mature adults should not really need worming at all
2) Time of year----cold/frosty/dry weather will mean that the worm burden is reducing
3) Condition of animals--animals in good health and on a rising plain of nutrition will be able to cope with a higher worm burden
4) Availability of clean grazing---if you can move animals onto uncontaminated ground then they may not need worming or will cope with higher worm burdens
<50 usually means 1 or less eggs counted so don't worry about the nemo.
200 strongyle would be a low count at most times of year
A total count of 250 EPG-----the common advice is to consider worming lambs when the count is 300/350EPG but much of the time this is not actually needed---I sometimes wait until 800EPG or more, if the animals are in good health and have plenty of grub ahead of them.
A high count of 800 EPG will severely reduce growth rate in lambs but I am sometimes happy to allow this as I want a high count for individual animals monitoring so I can select the special animals with very low FEC for breeding for resistance
It's not a staright forward science but with 250epg I wouldn't worry too much
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Thank you Tim
I was rather annoyed as I sent them two samples my current ewes and our new ewes and they seem to have just thrown them all in together :rant: the new ewes are in a shed away from the current ewes and I wanted to see if I needed to worm or not before they go in with my ewes!
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I think they will do a pooled sample for 1 test kit. If you wanted seperate tests you have to buy 2 kits and send them seperately - at least that is how I read their blurb! My results were ok but said - consult your vet. Maybe I'll just do that next time... :-\ but it is over twice the price.
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I did buy two but posted them together! my Vet charges £48 per FEC!!
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I did buy two but posted them together! my Vet charges £48 per FEC!!
You can buy a microscope for £80 and a slide for £20 then you are away.
It isn't rocket science, you just mix up the sample and count the eggs
I have all the info and instructions if you want it
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I keep meaning to do that, but haven't got round to it yet, but in the meantime we use Westgate, they have a great service and you can always talk to someone knowledgeable on the phone.
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The beauty of having your own kit is that you can gather a mob of lambs , take a sample and 10 mins later know if you want to treat them or not
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Tim W, I would like to have a go at that. Could you pm or e-mail the details please. Thanks.
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Here's some of the files you will need
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That didn't work as I planned!
Will try pm-ing the details
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I can read that Tim. Ta v. much.
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There were meant to be 4 pics and a word doc >:(
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You can buy a microscope for £80 and a slide for £20 then you are away.
It isn't rocket science, you just mix up the sample and count the eggs
I have all the info and instructions if you want it
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Hey Tim, where can I pick up a slide for £20? I paid £100 for a McMaster slide! Which I hope will out last me but when the inevitable happens and I drop it, the dog eats it etc etc £20 sounds more reasonable. Cheers, Me
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I did buy two but posted them together! my Vet charges £48 per FEC!!
Jesus, I used to do them for a tenner and farmers nearly fell over with the shock of the price!
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Hey Tim, where can I pick up a slide for £20? I paid £100 for a McMaster slide! Which I hope will out last me but when the inevitable happens and I drop it, the dog eats it etc etc £20 sounds more reasonable. Cheers, Me
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/McMASTER-PARASITE-EGG-COUNTING-SLIDE-MODEL-G2A-MADE-IN-CANADA-/161042074119?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item257edb0a07 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/McMASTER-PARASITE-EGG-COUNTING-SLIDE-MODEL-G2A-MADE-IN-CANADA-/161042074119?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item257edb0a07)
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Cheers :thumbsup: