Author Topic: What age do you worm/fluke your lambs? (Read 6673 times)

twizzel · « **on:** May 17, 2014, 08:26:55 pm »

Our tame lamb crew are now 11-15 weeks old and just had their 2nd heptavac injection last week. I think they ought to be coming in for worming/fluke now, given the meat withdrawal is 56 days and we normally start sending them off from August, but just wanted to check when you all worm your lambs? Particularly any tame lambs you've got.

I'm also contemplating treating them with crovect for flystrike at the same time in one foul swoop, then they would be due again mid July, which would then tide them over to the autumn.

I should be ok to do both at the same time shouldn't I? I managed to heptavac them all in the field but think they may need to come in for worming and strike treatment! And OH is only home at the moment when it rains, which it's forecast to do this week, so thought we could kill 2 birds with one stone...

farmvet · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2014, 11:36:04 pm »

it depends where you are in the country how high your fluke risk is, but the lambs will almost certainly be due a worm dose unless they are on ground which hasn't had sheep on before. Albendazole based drenches only have about 5day meat withdrawal depending on the brand. This can be used at the high dose for adult fluke but more usefully at the worm dose rate. Some farms have resistance but it can still be useful for nematodirus.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2014, 06:38:51 am »

We worm lambs only when we see a need for it, and we use albendazole which has a 5 day withdrawal, so doesn't interfere with sending them off.

However, the last two years we have needed to fluke also, so then yes you want to be giving them a dose of a combined wormer+flukicide, or just flukicide early enough that they are clear of withdrawal in time for sending them away.

No reason you can't crovect at the same time as worming. But, two things. 1. Don't get crovect on yourselves, it is extremely noxious stuff. So I'd go through drenching all of them and then crovect them all, otherwise you will be rubbing up against crovected fleece as you drench. 2. It's pointless crovecting when it's raining

. If this is the only time you can do them, can you keep them under cover (so dry) - but well ventilated!! - for a couple of hours after spraying?

twizzel · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2014, 12:11:20 pm »

Thanks. I can keep them in for a few hours before and after so they are dry. Have used crovect before as with combinex. We are in a flukey area, the cows were done with combined fluke and wormer before turnout. Combinex has so far kept fluke at bay, their livers have all been clear at slaughter. I'll aim to get them done this week