The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Argyll on May 11, 2019, 05:28:27 pm

Title: Dog Worms
Post by: Argyll on May 11, 2019, 05:28:27 pm
Thoughts please. I would like to use for grazing an area that dogs have used. I am concerned about dog worms being in the ground and then infecting the sheep. Is there any treatment recommend for the ground or sheep?
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: shep53 on May 11, 2019, 07:02:26 pm
Was recently discussed PAGE 2  APR 27TH   VACCINATIONS FOR LAMBS  but o answer your questions  NO & NO
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 12, 2019, 09:21:18 pm
The only ways to stop dog worms getting into sheep are

a) keep the dogs worm free by worming
b) pick up all dog poo
c) don’t allow dogs on the ground the sheep will graze

You cannot treat the ground and you cannot treat the sheep.

We use a+b.

While we are on the subject - does anyone know how long the ground would remain contaminated?  We have one area where our holiday guests walk their dogs, but are thinking about bringing some of this back to grazing.  We don’t know, however, how long we need to give it after the last dog walks there before we let the livestock on.
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: Buttermilk on May 13, 2019, 08:13:37 am
Not a clue with dog worms but a vet I was talking to about resistant sheep worms said never.  Sheep put on land with resistant worms ungrazed for 20 years picked up resistant worms straight away.  This was in Australia.
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: shep53 on May 13, 2019, 11:39:26 am
Sally what about ploughing and growing some crops either for animal feed eg rape /kale / turnips for a year or two then back to grass ??
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 16, 2019, 03:55:32 pm
A vet I was talking to about resistant sheep worms said never.  Sheep put on land with resistant worms ungrazed for 20 years picked up resistant worms straight away.  This was in Australia.

The main technique we use for worm control is rotational grazing.  Ponies follow sheep follow cattle.  We certainly need to worm a lot less this way.  I’m assuming that if the equines nullify the sheep worms on the pasture, they’d do that to resistant worms too :thinking:

It’s a shame the above technique seems to work only with the primary host, not the secondary host. Otherwise we could use rotational grazing to clear dog worms from the ground. 
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 16, 2019, 03:57:16 pm
Sally what about ploughing and growing some crops either for animal feed eg rape /kale / turnips for a year or two then back to grass ??

That might have been a good idea if we had the type of land for it.  But our soil is extremely shallow clay, plus we have a few young trees growing dotted about on the patch. 

Thanks for your thoughts, all. 
Title: Re: Dog Worms
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 16, 2019, 03:58:58 pm
Not a clue with dog worms but a vet I was talking to about resistant sheep worms said never.  Sheep put on land with resistant worms ungrazed for 20 years picked up resistant worms straight away.  This was in Australia.

Well, something was grazing the land and being a primary host for those worms. Either that or the pasture mites which are the secondary host for these worms live for decades!!