Tasmania WormBoss Worm Control Programs |
Tasmania WormBoss Drench Decision Guides |
SheepGoats |
SheepGoats |
No need to tell the regulars that there has been enough rain to make for one of the best autumns of recent times. Launceston airport received over 100 mm in March and at the time of writing was well over 100 mm for April. All areas have received substantial falls with the possible exception of the western side of the plateau and the very top of the Derwent drainage.
It will come as no surprise that WECs in young sheep are really on the move. Counts from Merino weaners have triggered drenching, and meat lambs on grass are also under threat. Second-year irrigated grass paddocks are rocking with worms. There was one report of a breakdown on an irrigated clover paddock, which is a bit rare (count of 1200 epg).
Most adult sheep are fine. Crossbred ewes are blowing out like a surfacing whale and Merinos in the drier areas are out of the drought-lots and enjoying at least 700 kg green dry matter/ha.
So, monitor proactively or drench to a routine. No point having to drench after every WEC. If that’s happening you are not monitoring frequently enough. Also, remember to record your results against the paddock. That way you can assess contamination in the run up to lambing.
It ain’t necessarily so: Advisers and extension people operate on paradigms. These may well be based on good science, but it’s important to realise that general recommendations derive from mostly homogenous climatic and production systems. So, WormKill, Worm Plan, Worm anything make assumptions about how your farm runs, and the blind application of a generic recommendation may result in a disaster. Here’s a cupla examples:
*for the non-Taswegians: saggs are a tussocky plant, Lomandra longifolia.