Drenching, worming etc.

[flannelberry]

Hi everyone

I was wondering if we could have a general worming discussion. Like most people, I suspect, I'd like to get away from the heavier duty, commercial wormers and am wondering what people do for worming.

We live in a low sheep population area. There's never been stock on our land before *but* our girls came from a heavy worm load area.

Thanks.

[Somerhill]

Learn FAMACHA and learn how to do your own fecals. You may find that worming is not necessary, and save time and $$$ by not worming sheep that don't need it. You'll also be able to tell if the chemical you are using is effective.
Best
Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com

[flannelberry]

Thanks Lisa.

[Philip]

We give ours a squirt of cider vinegar a couple of times a year, let them graze a mixture of grasses and NZ flax that help control worms, rotaional graze with cattle, and ensure a healthy copper and selenium levels are maintained (careful with copper though, it is dangerous if overdone, and some breeds are more susceptible than others to copper, such as Texel's)

[Terry W]

Some people swear by Diatomaceous Earth. Get food grade, or you risk other heralth issues.

Many people who raise animals 'naturally' (by neglect) just permit the worms to come and go, and eventually, the animals own immune systems strengthen, and whatever cannot handle the parasites die off, while the ones with good immune systems maintain light parasite loads that are not harmfull.

Adding such animals as chickens and ducks into the pastures also helps reduce the parasite uptake of the grazers. Graze "high" don't let the forage get so short that the animals are forced to ingest low-laying parasites.

[6e]

Originally Posted by Somerhill

Learn FAMACHA and learn how to do your own fecals. You may find that worming is not necessary, and save time and $$$ by not worming sheep that don't need it. You'll also be able to tell if the chemical you are using is effective.
Best
Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com

Lisa,
What is FAMACHA?

[Somerhill]

http://www.scsrpc.org/FAMACHA/InfoGuide.shtml

You can read about it here. Basically, you look at the color in the lower eyelid to check for anemia due to bloodsucking parasites. We took a course at the local OSU extension research station a few years ago. Its saved a a lot of money on the cost of dewormer, lowered our losses to worms to near zero, and hopefully is helping us slow the development of worms that are resistant to the dewormers we use.

(6e - have you been reading your PMs? I've sent 2-3 recently)
Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com

[6e]

Oh OK, we use that, I just didn't know that's what it was called.

[daytrader]

The rancher we purchased ours from runs 250+} head. He dose not worm. He grazes in rotation.

I asked him about worming. His comment."If you have to worm the sheep you are doing it wrong".