Suckler cows - dosing for worms

pakalasa

Just wondering how many of ye do your suckler cows for worms. I did mine today for fluke (Trodax) and worms (Noromectin). Is it waste considering they are supposed to be immune to them at this age?

Also how many do the weanlings during the first year at grass for fluke?

LostCovey

pakalasa wrote: »

Just wondering how many of ye do your suckler cows for worms. I did mine today for fluke (Trodax) and worms (Noromectin). Is it waste considering they are supposed to be immune to them at this age?

Also how many do the weanlings during the first year at grass for fluke?

I think it possibly is a waste of money dosing cow for worms, and I certainly would not use anything too expensive.

Weanlings are at risk from fluke in the autumn - before that they are probably not eating enough grass to be at risk.

LostCovey

Dunedin

LostCovey wrote: »

Weanlings are at risk from fluke in the autumn - before that they are probably not eating enough grass to be at risk.

LostCovey

weanlings should always be done for worms at summer grazing. They will be grazing so they will pick up worms.

some even suggest that they should be done twice over the grazing season.

LostCovey

Dunedin wrote: »

weanlings should always be done for worms at summer grazing. They will be grazing so they will pick up worms.

some even suggest that they should be done twice over the grazing season.

Well the question was about fluke.

And to split hairs further, in the summer they are not weanlings, they are suckler calves.......

I would not object to anyone dosing suckler calves in summer, but they pick up very little, and therefore they pass very little eggs, so suckler pastures are far less contaminated with worms than say dairy calf paddocks.

I wouldn't argue with someone who dosed suckler calves, nor with someone who didn't. I would be surprised if it made a big difference.

Now dairy calves in the paddock full of dockins beside the yard are a different story.....

LostCovey

pakalasa

Yep, I was talking about fluke for the first season on suckler calves. I havent been doing them during the grazing season but any, I do keep, I do for fluke in the early winter. As for worms, thats a definite, you'll see then coughing anyway.

LC,
I was thinking it was a waste doing suckler cows for worms, but I always did they once a year just to give them that 'clean out' for the winter. It doesnt cost a fortune and Noromectin does them for lice too.

5live

I think the only adult animals that show any response to a worm dose are first calvers and any thin or sick animals. Too much dosing will only lead to a build up of resistance in the worm population to whatever doses you use while not doing anything beneficial to the majority of the cows imo

Dunedin

apolgies misread teh post. thought it was referring to worms in calves.

I woudn't do calves in the summer for fluke but would do them in autumn or pre housing.


don't do cows for worms - the exception being the first calvers.