[Tish tosh]

I have a four year old ewe and her two ewes from last year . They were wormed by their old owner in the autumn by a wormer that covered everything needed ( don't know it's name). I have been looking for a worming calendar that is easy to follow, similar to the ones you get for horses but have not found one. My sheep are pets and mowers! Any advice would be very welcomed. Thank you.

[charlestcat]

 Due to the problems with increased resistance to wormers don't worm ad hoc.   You should only worm when its required.  Sheep will start to scour (get diarrohea) or look ill, their behaviour will be out of character for them; and in the case of the barber pole worm, haemonchus, they will become anaemic; when they need worming.
 
You should get a faecel egg count (FEC) analysised by your vet lab and they will be able to say what type of worms you have and the most effective wormer for your particular worms.  Most vets will supply you with the correct amount of the wormer in the case of needing small amounts which would apply with your number of sheep.  The amount of wormer you give goes on the weight of the sheep or the heaviest sheep if you need to do all.
 
The white wormers are the only ones that treat tapeworm, you also get yollow and clear, plus the combined ones (orange, purple) which with your number or sheep you should not require.
 
Depending on the season and weather conditions depends on what worms are around at that time, so take a poo sample from each animal who requires it - i follow mine around with a supply latax gloves or small plastic bags, scoope up and turn glove/bag inside out and knot; then let the lab sort it out!
 
But take advise from your vet and if poss don't worm adhoc
 
Hope this is some help
 
 

[Tish tosh]

Thank you for your response. Very useful information.

[JMB]

Check with your local farmers what they use and when.
We have a fluke problem here so farmers have been dosing every 6 weeks, which is not the normal procedure.
Useful literature online about fluke:
Google Liver Fluke Explained by Bob Hanna
Also
www.scops.org.uk/endoparasites-liver-fluke.html
Info on when to treat
J xxxxx

[lachlanandmarcus]

I thought our ewes might be flukey and so did the vet but the tests came back with worms, so I think for both testing is the way to go if possible if you are not on really wet land which is known to be fluke prone.


The testing also means you can use exactly the right wormer or flukicide.

[Bionic]

I recently went to a worming talk held by our local vets. They had 85 people turn up and were overwhelemed by the response.
Basically they were saying the same as charlescat has said. Don't worm without having a FEC done as you may not need to do it at all. You could well be wasting your money by using the wrong wormer or when no wormer is needed at all. Thats not to mention the issue of resistance to wormers.
It was also said that if you want the FEC to be tested for fluke then tell them when you take it in as they won't routinely do this unless asked. Of course they may differ with vets but best to be certain. It doesn't cost extra.