Thanks for the replies.
For those of you who asked for more information, the fecal exam kit came from Farmstead Health Supply. It provides all the equipment and brochure on identifying the worms. Their web page is
www.farmsteadhealth.com.
The other website that has a lot of detailed information for sheep/goat fecal exam is Microbus, website is:
www.microscope-microscope.org/applications/animals/fecal_analysis
The microscope type suggested is a range from 40X to 100X. MicroscopeWorld.com sells a model for $200 but maybe the one from sonlight.com (that Shepmom bought) is less expensive.
In response to the moderator there are many of us that live in area that don't have sheep vets (or any large animal vets) so to make sure that our management practices are effective, we can try to use this tool as a way to measure our successes or failures. As for worms not coming out of thin air...puppies are born with them, ewes are prone to high worm loads right after lambing when they previously were already "wormed". Farmstead Health Supply also suggests that by identifying the worm type and treating for that particular worm that it will reduce the problem of developing a tolerance for wormers becaue we won't be using a "blanket wormer". Only treating for what is necessary (different worm..different wormer to be effective) in addition to using proper management practices (field rotation etc.)
My question after all was quite simple, "who is using the fecal exam". I wasn't looking for a larger lecture or opinion but input from actual people using the technique.
***I'd love to hear back from Shepmom after she uses it for a while to see how she likes it. I still have to buy a microscope and I have been implementing using natural wormers, pumpkin seed, wormwood, and the herbs from Farmstead Health and thought it would be nice to see under a microscope if it really does help. I have had horse owners tell me that horses eat poplar tree bark in the fall and spring which is a natural wormer and I noticed that the sheep in the last few weeks now that we have snow have been going to town on the bark even though they still have some grass available.
Thanks again, sorry about being long-winded.
Sheepy Hollow
Babydolls and Tunis
Unregistered said:
http://www.farmsteadhealth.com/
I recently bought the kit for checking worms on sheep. We homeschool, so it's just part of the curriculum of life and learning to do this and learn. We haven't checked any stool, yet. Just read the instruction booklet and techniques.
I bought our microscope from sonlight.com (homeschool curriculum seller) that has what looks to be the same microscope, plus added features for a lower price than farmsteadhealth.com.
shepmom
in NC
PS. My barbados blackbelly sheep are great!