The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Je on May 25, 2016, 05:26:47 pm
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May I ask advice please?
First lambs and over anxious!
SCOPS forecast map says I am at HIGH risk but not yet VERY HIGH in my area for nematodirus.
When should I treat my lambs?
Is Panacur good enough? I have it waiting!
Do I treat adult ewes at the same time?
Please advise, many thanks. :sunshine:
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When should I treat my lambs? .. I would wait until you see signs of scour personally, then treat them all.
Is Panacur good enough? I have it waiting! ...Yes. It's about the only thing Panacur is good for.
Do I treat adult ewes at the same time? ...Definitely no. They should already have built up immunity.
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Did your ground have lambs on it in previous years ? if yes then nematodirus possible if no then you should be clean . nematodirus can kill lambs with no signs at all and by the time they are scouring severe damage may have been done . If you are on land with a known fluke problem then a different group 1 wormer would also do the ewes for adult fluke
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Ideally the lamb turnout field should cycle between three different fields in three years or, second best and what we can manage with the farm layout, between alternating fields. If the turnout field is the same year after year there will almost certainly be a recurring problem.
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Just on the panacur - be aware that lambs can have a spontaneous reaction - a bit staggery or jumpy. But passes very quickly. Just warning, since it was a bit of a shock for us! The older sheep were fine...
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Nematodes are roundworm aren't they? Don't most/all wormers deal with them?
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Worth looking at the SCOPS website (scops.org.uk) for info, especially the section on Anthelmintics - Getting It Right.
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Nematodes are roundworm aren't they? Don't most/all wormers deal with them?
Nematodes is the technical term for roundworms.
Nematodirus is a specific worm, which tends to cause a problem when weather conditions are right to cause sudden hatch of multiple eggs on pasture at a time when young lambs have started grazing. It can cause scour, poor thrift and sudden death.
As mentioned above, scops will give tremendous advice on worming in general and weather conditions and how they affect the risk of nematodirus, but nematodirus risk also depends on your grazing, how clean your pasture is and your grazing rotation, as well as when you have had lambs born in relation to the risk period.
If you ask your vet, they will be aware of your local conditions and can tailor a worming plan to your specific field use, lambing and breeds of sheep so as to give best treatment and prevention while trying to reduce the speed of development of resistance in worms.