[Jode]

So now we have a few lambs (5) born I am trying to decide what to do next. The manx twins that were born early Monday morning are ready to go out. Feeding well. We wormed mum 24 hours ago. And we've ringed their tails. Tried castrating them but the testicles are sooo small. Will try again. The greyface dartmoor ewe born early yesterday has struggled to feed so will keep her in a little longer but have wormed mum, and then twin GFD ewe lambs were born this morning. They seem to be feeding well but will keep them in another night just to make sure.

 Mrs Manx is quite keen to get back to her friends (another 4 manx) who are out in a nearby paddock but not due to lamb for a couple of weeks. So, when these little families are ready I am planning to put them out on fresh pasture next to the other lambs yet to birth. Mrs manx would rather be with the other manx but she'll see them. Is that ok?  And will put a couple of guard alpacas in with the ewes and lambs but they haven't been wormed since January (next due at shearing) so is this a bad idea?

We have never put alpaca cria on fresh pasture. They are always born outside and stay in the paddock with their mums and aunties until we move them on....

And we are struggling a bit at the moment as half of our paddocks (22 acres) are about to be sprayed which means they have to stay off them for a week. Do they HAVE to go out onto fresh pasture? Or is that just an ideal??

We are still routinely worming - I know that's not recommended and I do plan to move to FEC but it's just another thing on the long list of things to learn/do and at the moment it's just easier to worm. Don't tell me off.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

You have to do the best you can with what you have and the ideal isnt always achievable.


So,


   if you worm and keep them in as you have they shed what burden they had indoors. If they then go on to pasture which has been free of sheep for a good period ( 6 months is good ) then the idea is that any worms in the pasture will have died.


 If you cant do that, and it isnt always possible. Then they are likely to pick up worms from the pasture and need worming again at an appropriate interval. I dont know if Alpacas have the same worms as sheep but cows, pigs chickens etc do not so you can clean a pasture by grazing animals that will digest the sheep worms but that are not a suitable host for that type of worm.


What we are all aiming for is a system of rotation which dramatically reduces the worm burned and eliminates the need for a frequent worming programme and avoids althalmic resistance.


Perhaps thats something you could aim for next year as it sounds like you just have too many balls to juggle right now.


And yes it's ok for Mrs Manx to play out in sight of her Manx friends.

[Marches Farmer]

Take a look at the SCOPS website for info on worming.  Ideally the lambs and ewes should be turned out onto ground that hasn't been used for turnout for twqo or more seasons.  Many farms and smallholdings can't manage this, but every other year has worked for us and kept counts very low.