Dosing

arctictree

Thinking of dosing a few ewes I have for worms and fluke. They are due to lamb in about six weeks. Would there be any problems with this so close to lambing?

Country lad

It be no problem at all as dose them this time every year and they are also lambing in about six weeks

Connemara Farmer

Would just be that bit easier on them when gathering and handling. Always have ewes in for vaccination between 4-6 weeks pre lambing.

arctictree

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Would just be that bit easier on them when gathering and handling. Always have ewes in for vaccination between 4-6 weeks pre lambing.

Yes, was going to do that. Just wondering if there might be any problems, vaccinating, worm dosing and fluke dosing at the same time.

Bullocks

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Would just be that bit easier on them when gathering and handling. Always have ewes in for vaccination between 4-6 weeks pre lambing.

Is it too late to vaccinate with covexin 8 if they are lambing around the beginning of February ? Your man I bought them off dosed them the day I got them but had no vaccination .
Should the lambs get another shot after they're born again ?

sako 85

arctictree wrote: »

Thinking of dosing a few ewes I have for worms and fluke. They are due to lamb in about six weeks. Would there be any problems with this so close to lambing?

The question I would ask is; do they need the Worm and Fluke dose? Blanket dosing of entire flocks is what has caused resistances now seen to many doses. Obviously they're your sheep and you know best. But I'm of the opinion that visibly healthy sheep that are thriving require no dosing, vaccinating is a different kettle of fish I suppose.

Connemara Farmer

Bullocks wrote: »

Is it too late to vaccinate with covexin 8 if they are lambing around the beginning of February ? Your man I bought them off dosed them the day I got them but had no vaccination .
Should the lambs get another shot after they're born again ?

Not sure with C8, I know with Hep P+ it says to do them 4-6 weeks before lambing.

Lambs from unvaccinated sheep can get a shot from three weeks of age I THINK check it out, from vaccinated sheep leave it until 7-8 weeks (all for Hep P+ tho).

It's money well spent.

Username John

sako 85 wrote: »

The question I would ask is; do they need the Worm and Fluke dose? Blanket dosing of entire flocks is what has caused resistances now seen to many doses. Obviously they're your sheep and you know best. But I'm of the opinion that visibly healthy sheep that are thriving require no dosing, vaccinating is a different kettle of fish I suppose.

Even for fluke?

I thought that if they show visible signs of fluke, you're too late with the dose?

sako 85

Username John wrote: »

Even for fluke?

I thought that if they show visible signs of fluke, you're too late with the dose?

Yeah even for fluke, I usually ask the factory when we have sheep killed if the livers showed signs of fluke and to date I haven't had a problem. I think that a sheep that has a fluke will show signs of ill thrift. but I suppose we're not in a bad fluke area.

Personally I don't like the idea of give livestock medicines that they don't need.

arctictree

sako 85 wrote: »

The question I would ask is; do they need the Worm and Fluke dose? Blanket dosing of entire flocks is what has caused resistances now seen to many doses. Obviously they're your sheep and you know best. But I'm of the opinion that visibly healthy sheep that are thriving require no dosing, vaccinating is a different kettle of fish I suppose.

You are probably right but my problem is that I am a novice and tend to be over cautious. The ewes look fine to me, so I might leave the dosing until after lambing. Better to make sure they are vaccinated and well fed in this weather....

ihatewinter

When where the ewes last dosed for worms or fluke? Are they heavily stock and is the land prone to fluke.

I always dose ewes for both about 2 weeks before lambing as apparently ewes immunity to worm drops from 4 weeks pre lambing till about 6 weeks after lambing due to stress of lambing and milking. I learned this in college. To reduce the risk of resistance I leave about 10% of them undosed.

rangler1

ihatewinter wrote: »

When where the ewes last dosed for worms or fluke? Are they heavily stock and is the land prone to fluke.

I always dose ewes for both about 2 weeks before lambing as apparently ewes immunity to worm drops from 4 weeks pre lambing till about 6 weeks after lambing due to stress of lambing and milking. I learned this in college. To reduce the risk of resistance I leave about 10% of them undosed.

+1
We've found too that FECs in the lambs are lower if we dose the ewes a month before lambing, ewes excrete a lot of worm eggs immediately after lambing, they can't do that if they're wormed in the shed ad have no worms in them at lambing