The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: milliebecks on March 18, 2019, 05:59:21 pm
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Two of my small flock went away to a neighbour for tupping, as they're the daughters of my own tup. They came back a bit thin (and one had the ends of her ears missing, but that's another story!), but they're holding condition and, as they're Shetlands I'm feeding as for the rest of the ewes and not worrying too much.
Three weeks from the earliest lambing date, however, and both are scouring a bit. They were wormed/fluked pre-tupping in November, along with the others, who are fine.
I'm getting them in for Heptavac boosters tomorrow and was planning mineral drench for them all.
The question is, should I worm the two now or leave it until turnout, as normal? That would mean they miss out on the minerals (although they have a bucket available), but I wouldn't want to get them in again at this late stage.
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Sorry but you cannot compare these 2 sheep to yours as they have been on someone else's ground , when you say they are scouring a bit is it only them ? why would you not give the 2 any mineral drench even if you wormed them ? Two choice's take dung sample's from each to send for FEC checking for worm and fluke eggs and worm now to stop any decline close to lambing or send FEC to vet and wait for results and treat accordingly . Personally I would go for 1st choice if they are the only one's scouring
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I would have ensured I wormed and fluked when they returned to prevent them bringing in resistant worms from elsewhere …. too late for that however so yes I would worm (but not with white wormer) Don't see any reason why you cant treat with mineral drench at same time …. unless anyone else knows different?
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I would have ensured I wormed and fluked when they returned to prevent them bringing in resistant worms from elsewhere …. too late for that however so yes I would worm (but not with white wormer) Don't see any reason why you cant treat with mineral drench at same time …. unless anyone else knows different?
Some people say the mineral isn’t absorbed as well if it’s given along with wormer. But Carrs’ Animal Health mix a range of their own wormers-with-minerals (both straight wormers and combined wormers with flukicides, and I think straight flukicide with minerals too), so it’s certainly not a definitive rule.
I’m assuming when you say “wormer”, you mean flukicide or combined wormer and flukicide? Otherwise, unless it’s been really mild where you are, I’d think it more likely to be fluke than worms at this time of year, so not sure a straight wormer will help.
Which said, assuming the drench is appropriate, and given all the factors, especially that you don’t want to fetch them in again before lambing, I’d fluke and mineral the two.
By the way, the wily old Cumbrian farmer who taught me so much used to give minerals first, then flukicide a couple of days later. He felt that a sheep which had a significant fluke burden would be so pulled down the flukicide might kill her, so he’d give the minerals first to give them a boost, and then the flukicide when the minerals had had a couple of days to give them that boost. That could well be a hangover from a time when perhaps the meds weren’t as good as they are now, but I just thought I’d share it.
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The post says that the ewes are holding condition and were last fluked in November so I would guess not fluke , but I did say that the FEC should cover fluke eggs . Two worms are prevalent in winter Black scour worms and Barbers pole worms (which can kill ewes )
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The post says that the ewes are holding condition and were last fluked in November so I would guess not fluke , but I did say that the FEC should cover fluke eggs . Two worms are prevalent in winter Black scour worms and Barbers pole worms (which can kill ewes )
I would agree that unlikely to be fluke. Apart from anything else, flukes affect the liver, not the gut. So scouring is not a characteristic sign of fluke infection, and is therefore more likely to indicate worms.
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Thanks all.
I have been under the impression that you shouldn't do multiple drenching/vaccinations at the same time. Hence the either/or approach to worm or minerals. I like the idea of a mineral boost a few days before meds, but I have been led to believe that the less you do to a pregnant ewe the better ...... although I've been reading that in the US the ewes are sheared before lambing to encourage them to lead their lambs into shelter!
If the short answer is 'better safe than sorry', I'll give the two a worm dose. And I take the point that I should have dosed when they came home .... or better still done an FEC.
Thanks for the advice.
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Thanks all.
I have been under the impression that you shouldn't do multiple drenching/vaccinations at the same time. Hence the either/or approach to worm or minerals. I like the idea of a mineral boost a few days before meds, but I have been led to believe that the less you do to a pregnant ewe the better ...... although I've been reading that in the US the ewes are sheared before lambing to encourage them to lead their lambs into shelter!
If the short answer is 'better safe than sorry', I'll give the two a worm dose. And I take the point that I should have dosed when they came home .... or better still done an FEC.
Thanks for the advice.
When they came back it would have been better to give a quarantine drench, to ensure they are not bringing resistant worms onto your pasture. So in this case, a FEC wouldn't have told you if the worms they had were resistant to certain drenches. r.e. multiple treatments- I wouldn't vaccinate sick animals, as this will affect the immune response to the vaccine. But I have given fluke and mineral drenches together, and a yellow wormer and clostantel based fluke drench one after the other too. I wouldn't hesitate to worm and give a mineral drench at the same time.
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Two worms are prevalent in winter Black scour worms and Barbers pole worms (which can kill ewes )
Every day a school day here on TAS :). Thanks, shep53, those are two I’ve - thankfully - thus far not come across.