wbvs58
Well-known member
Putangitangi":17gnbpl4 said:Do any of you ever do post-drench FECs? We do that from time to time to check how resistant our worm populations may have become to the drench we're using. Do a FEC, drench, then pick up dung samples ten days after drenching; if there are eggs there, your drench didn't work. Culture the eggs found to identify the species, if required.
Our Ag organisations have done a lot of work on educating farmers that the majority of the worm problem is on the pasture and you'll never eliminate them by treating the cattle. You just manage the production losses/health effects by how well you manage the animals, the pasture, how much you can feed them, etc. There are probably places where it gets cold enough to wipe them out there, not so many here and certainly never where I farm.
That is well said. I have only recently started to give my calves a strategic worming at 2-3 mths of age with Cydectin injectible to utilise the duration of the product to make sure that this group continues to go forward. My cows never get wormed, my pastures are well spelled. I just use product to make sure the group that is most vulnerable to parasites are not held back. I have done faecal egg counts and I know that this group of animals can carry a small burden of parasites. It is impossible to worm your herd to a worm free status and is not necessary. LuckyP has said on here many times previously that they don't see worm problems on autopsy other than the very young.
Ken