Australia's resource for control of worms, flies and lice in sheep, |
This quick quiz tests your knowledge of sheep and goat parasites and their control.
Docking the tail to the correct length is crucial in minimising stain around the breech and reducing flystrike risk throughout the sheep’s life. What is the recommended tail length?
Why should winter-spring drop lambs/kids always be drenched at weaning in the moderate to high rainfall areas?
Will long wool treatments eradicate lice?
In multi-active drenches, what is the difference between a combination and a mixture?
The 2020 round of the ParaBoss WEC QA Program has been cancelled due to foreseeable freight delays. The program relies on swift transport of perishable samples across Australia within a 5-day period. This was successfully achieved with Australia Post in the 2019 main round with all samples arriving at their nominated address by Friday, after being prepared and then sent in eskies with freezer bricks on the Monday afternoon.
Australia Post is still warning of continuing and unpredictable freight delays, which are unlikely to improve by our planned October send-out. Our samples would likely take one to two weeks for delivery, in which time freezer bricks thaw and eggs hatch.
We have recently trialled methods to prevent the eggs from hatching so soon (formalin and air exclusion). These have failed to maintain acceptable egg counts.
ParaBoss apologises for any inconvenience this causes to businesses hoping to participate this year. The 2019 results will remain published for a further year. We hope that some normality will return by this time next year to recommence the program.
Producers using worm egg counting services are still urged to use WEC providers who have proven their accuracy in the 2019 round. Find them listed here.
Predict your flystrike and extreme weather risk with the National Flystrike and Cold Risk Maps from across Australia Ag360™
These maps draw on your farm data and weather forecasts to predict more production and well-being risks and opportunities for the sheep and cattle on your property.
The August updates give us a great look at social distancing from a sheep’s perspective! Lambs are now at the most worm-susceptible time of their lives so it is particularly important to continue to monitor worms with a worm egg count. In almost 100% of cases a weaning drench will be required. With lamb marking about to start, Paul gives us a timely reminder about the importance of docking tails to the correct length.
For those planning a low worm-risk summer weaning paddock, start preparation of the weaning paddock each year when the first lamb is born. This provides a 3-month period where you would prevent further contamination by keeping sheep out or only grazing with sheep in the few weeks after an effective drench, and most worm larvae already on the pasture will die in this period.
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