The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: thenovice on July 11, 2012, 09:28:06 pm
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My little flock seems to be more affected by worms this year (mucky bums and visible worms in the lambs poo). I know that the warm and wet weather will increase the parasite numbers, but can the sheep pick up worms from the numerous rabbits that infest my grazing i wonder? They are everywhere at the minute, and apart from being a pain , they leave millions of droppings. As soon as the hay is cut, my mate with the rifle will be coming to visit! The reason i asked if thereis a connection between bunnies and worms is that they seem to pick them up from even clean fresh grass. Yet another good reason to keep their numbers under control. Thoughts please folks??? :bunny:
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Rabbits are not renowned for passing their worms to sheep. Normally worms are species specific, which is why you can graze such as equines, sheep and cattle together and they will hoover up each other's worms.
However, rabbits can pass tapeworms on, and these can be easily seen in the sheep's droppings as squarish white bits about 2 - 3mm in length.
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Rabbits (and deer) can drop faeces with fluke eggs in them, but you'd need to have the right snails on your land for the eggs to have anything to go in to. Otherwise they'll just die on pasture and not infect anything.
Dans