Worming ewes @ housing

[Man_in_black]

Evening all,

Thinking ahead somewhat (although our teasers go in next week). Planning on worming multiples & any poor looking singles as they brought in this year. Also heard though in terms of selective resistance, you should leave the drench until as late as possible or right at lambing (SCOPS) to.increse dilution of non resistant worms. Any ideas on this? @Tim W @neilo

 

[Nithsdale]

Don't worm ewes unless you really have to.

It's as simple as that

 

[Man_in_black]

Yeah, I know mate. Not entirely my decision, I've done well to get it from blanket worm everything to compromise of only doing twins/trips

 

[Tim W]

Never housed ewes so no direct experience but in theory i would worm anything when i housed them. They shouldn't pick up worms whilst they are inside?

 

[neilo]

Never housed ewes so no direct experience but in theory i would worm anything when i housed them. They shouldn't pick up worms whilst they are inside?

^this.
Not housed, but I had a high FEC in a bunch of thin ewes on roots in early February (we think due to Iodine def reducing immunity?), despite having been on roots since new year. I wormed all that group, and triplets/shearlings in the other group, and didn’t do any at lambing. FEC on a random group of ewes last week showed nothing at all.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Depends what you're trying to achieve.
If the ewes are poor and have a high worm burden then worming at housing could be a good time to clear them out.
But if, as they should be at that time of year presuming you're winter housing, they are relatively clear of worms, then there is an argument for worming at lambing, even possibly with cydectin, to cover the rise in worm activity in the ewe at that time as they lose natural immunity, and so reduce worm burden for lambs as the season progresses.

 

[Man_in_black]

Never housed ewes so no direct experience but in theory i would worm anything when i housed them. They shouldn't pick up worms whilst they are inside?

This is exactly what I said/suggested but then a 'friend' of my gaffer told him scops reccomend waiting until 24hr before turning out at foot. We have vet here today I'm gonna ask her too but just double checking on here I wasn't making a tiť of myself!

 

[Jim75]

That’s what we do, worm when they leave the lambing shed heading to the communal area for a day or 2 with the idea of reducing worm burden on the lambs. This was vet advice.

 

[dt995]

The advice is normally *not* to move them to a clean pasture after worming, because that's the way to select for resistant worms.

Why is it different if you worm then house? Isn't that the same thing, but with "shed" taking the place of "clean pasture"?

 

[Man_in_black]

the communal area for a day or 2

Then where to after that mate?

 

[Jim75]

Then where to after that mate?

From communal sheds out to pasture. We had a LOT of problems before and although maybe not directly responsible between this and a few other measures the problems we were getting have abated to a more manageable level.

 

[Tim W]

The advice is normally *not* to move them to a clean pasture after worming, because that's the way to select for resistant worms.

Why is it different if you worm then house? Isn't that the same thing, but with "shed" taking the place of "clean pasture"?

But worm eggs will multiply and hatch on pasture and then get ingested when the sheep eat the grass---eggs shed onto straw bedding may hatch but are unlikely to be ingested by sheep as they will be eating hay/silage etc instead

 

[Man_in_black]

But worm eggs will multiply and hatch on pasture and then get ingested when the sheep eat the grass---eggs shed onto straw bedding may hatch but are unlikely to be ingested by sheep as they will be eating hay/silage etc instead

That's what I'm hoping.
Then they'll be turned out onto grass that last had cattle on it & will be rested after rotating ewes to put cattle on again.

 

[dt995]

But worm eggs will multiply and hatch on pasture and then get ingested when the sheep eat the grass---eggs shed onto straw bedding may hatch but are unlikely to be ingested by sheep as they will be eating hay/silage etc instead

That seems quite obvious now you say it, ta

 

[Al R]

This is exactly what I said/suggested but then a 'friend' of my gaffer told him scops reccomend waiting until 24hr before turning out at foot. We have vet here today I'm gonna ask her too but just double checking on here I wasn't making a tiť of myself!

Most of my singles and triplets (only ones that get a chance to come in) are out within 12-18 hours of lambing usually.. how long before your lambing do they come in? Mine come in at point of lambing but are also out in the day so messes up these ideas, with twins and my outdoor flocks I worm 2-3 weeks before lambing when the sheep are moved onto rested ground ready for lambing outside.