Author Topic: Tailoring worming?? Advice needed (Read 1470 times)

crobertson · « **on:** September 09, 2018, 08:37:49 am »

Just looked for some advice regarding a couple of our ewes. We have 15 in total with some being slightly leaner than this time last year but our grass has been very poor with stagnant growth so that is expected (as they're more pets they are probably on the well fed side), they are all bright, alert and none have ever scoured since we had them - all were last wormed post lambing and generally look well.

However 2 are particularly thin, they have access to hay and crystalyx to compensate for the poor grass but I would say both have lost weight since their lambs were weaned a month ago. I contacted the vet and have done a FEC on just the two that are very lean which has come back as moderate so the vet suggested worming.

My question is should I worm just them two of them or worm all of the others too even though they aren't showing any symptoms ... thinking about it I wish I had done a group FEC too to compare but we re-assess in october anyway as part of the pre-tupping checks (although we aren't tupping this year). The girls have some new grazing to move to either today or tomorrow that hasn't been grazed for many years and never by sheep so I want to be cautious regarding the worming to keep the pasture as clean as possible.

Thanks in advance
Claire

Buttermilk · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2018, 10:50:46 am »

I would just do the two that were FEC counted.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2018, 12:22:59 pm »

Sometimes I have the same thing happen to me and I worm again - just those individual ewes. If they still haven't put enough weight on by the time I select ewes for breeding then I cull.

shep53 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2018, 01:25:32 pm »

3 things to consider , do you have fluke on your land and did you ask the vet to look for fluke eggs in the FEC , are their teeth front and side ok and solid , do you have any mineral imbalances on your land , these can affect some individuals

sheeponthebrain · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2018, 02:26:01 pm »

id be inclined to treat the new clean grazing as seperate and give them a quarantine dose before moving rathet than risk infecting the ground with worm eggs especially since the fec came back as moderate

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2018, 06:59:32 pm »

As above, I would worm the two symptomatic ones whilst in their current field, and only move them after a period of time (though I forget the recommended waiting period).

fsmnutter · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2018, 07:15:49 pm »

Why not ask your vet what they would suggest as they've recommended worming these two, you can discuss with them what to do with the rest. They will also likely have an idea of there is known worm resistance in your area to guide choice of wormer