Ewe and Lamb worming help please

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I do breed Texel's but have found tups with the lower ebv indexes to be less susceptible to worm competed to those who have high ebv indexes. I have used two high indexed tup with "good" fec ebv that no matter what wormer I tried from the vet never shifted them but that is the biggest problem with the breed they are concentrating on the genetics more than trying help with research into making the breed more resistant to worms but I'm going to look at starting to do a more in depth fec analysis with my vet

I really would disregard any FEC ebv's in any animals that haven't been FEC tested themselves, or at least from a population where a lot had been tested. The accuracy of those ebv's will be so low as to be meaningless. Any that do have data going into the analysis will have the waters mudddied by the ebv's calculated purely on the basis that high growth rate means low worm resistance, and vice versa.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Oh well...to wrap this thread up the poor OP doesnt know which way to turn after receiving all this `advice`!

IMO, a good way to turn would be to read up on the free info readily available from SCOPS, then use that as a basis for a plan. Certainly don't worm anything on a 'routine' basis, apart from maybe at lambing (& some even advocate dropping that now).

You certainly shouldn't worm just because they look 'wormy'. I had a group in today that have a number that certainly look 'wormy', with several squatting nicely.:( I did a FEC test and the count was only about 300epg. I had exactly the same here at this time last year, to the extent that I didn't believe my own counting in the end and wormed them anyway. It didn't dry them up. It turns out it was Iodine deficiency, despite bolusing at weaning. A TE drench dried the up and turned them round within days, which is what I've done today too.
In the days before I FEC tested I would have wormed them because they looked like they needed it, cursed because it hadn't worked, then probably done them again.
 

Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I really would disregard any FEC ebv's in any animals that haven't been FEC tested themselves, or at least from a population where a lot had been tested. The accuracy of those ebv's will be so low as to be meaningless. Any that do have data going into the analysis will have the waters mudddied by the ebv's calculated purely on the basis that high growth rate means low worm resistance, and vice versa.
Texels with lots of FEC recording = www.baber.co.uk (or the NZ tex breeders I think )

I'm pretty sure FEC EBVs are calculated independently and with no reference to any other production trait
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
I try and follow SCOPS protocols as much as possible but find with fec the vets take so long to get back to me with a result that the lambs could have gone back significantly in that time. 4-5 days result time (more if there's a weekend involved). We run a couple of other businesses so sheep jobs often get a lower priority than say a trade show.

As for blood testing lambs I had it done earlier this year and nearly fainted at the cost of it! Again, results took ages to come through.

I think actively using science is fine if you are running thousands of ewes but for the medium/small flock regular fec, blood testing, post mortems is just too costly to justify.

Having said that I do frequently change wormer groups, quarantine drench, leave the fittest 5-10%, make use of rotational grazing with cattle, new leys and roots.
 

wee man

Member
Location
scottish borders
Texels with lots of FEC recording = www.baber.co.uk (or the NZ tex breeders I think )

I'm pretty sure FEC EBVs are calculated independently and with no reference to any other production trait

The FEC EBV's are calculated differently for different breed. Blackies and Texels definitely have a strong inverse correlation with growth so without actual FEC data it is just another growth EBV:banghead:.
 

ford4000

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
north Wales
Reading these kind of threads and a lot of other stuff folk say, makes me realise just how clueless so many farmers are.

It's science, it's fact. So whether you agree with it or not is inconsequential!!!
Until recently Fat was public enemy number one, causing blocked arteries that would kill you, then suddenly, sugar is the devil's work, and fat is good!! (Booming butter and cream sales)

I think we should take everything on board and make decisions on our own circumstances. ...I've read a NZ consultant saying that FEC's are not that useful, as they don't tell you how many worms are in lambs, just how many eggs they are laying...and we all know NZ is always right [emoji6]
 

muleman

Member
Until recently Fat was public enemy number one, causing blocked arteries that would kill you, then suddenly, sugar is the devil's work, and fat is good!! (Booming butter and cream sales)

I think we should take everything on board and make decisions on our own circumstances. ...I've read a NZ consultant saying that FEC's are not that useful, as they don't tell you how many worms are in lambs, just how many eggs they are laying...and we all know NZ is always right [emoji6]
I tend to agree but woe betide you for having an opinion (and having the temerity to voice it) that is different to some others on here!:LOL:
 

GreenerGrass

Member
Location
Wilts
I tend to agree but woe betide you for having an opinion (and having the temerity to voice it) that is different to some others on here!:LOL:
The thing is it was the same opinion plenty of farmers (and vets) used to have, but has now been shown to be flawed and result in an accelerated build up of worm resistance to wormers. I'm not sure why you are so reluctant to accept this, and so happy to continue along your current path. When you realise you have multiple resistance you will regret you didn't take action sooner.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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