Do Animals need Dosing at Turnout?

Depending on the parasite disease risks on your farm, strategic treatments soon after turnout might be needed.

But treating early in the season when pasture contamination by parasite eggs and larvae is low can be a risk for the development of wormer resistance.

If animals were effectively dosed when housed, they are unlikely to need any wormers at turnout.

But if this was not done and if they currently have worms, dosing before turnout reduces the risk of eggs shed onto the pastures.

Liver fluke is worth extra consideration, as last year saw the first increase in years, probably from the favourable weather conditions.

It might be useful to take dung samples to check for liver fluke to ensure the fluke treatments were effective and animals don’t shed eggs onto pastures when turned out.

An alternative to dosing is to focus on the pasture risk and avoid grazing susceptible animals on these pastures.

High risk pastures:

• Pastures where, for example, calves have a coccidiosis outbreak?
• Pastures were the youngstock were set-stocked throughout the season?

Eggs and larvae can survive over winter – consider using these high-risk fields for silage or adult animals early in the season, allowing extra time for the eggs and larvae on the pastures to die.

For more information contact your Dairygold Area Sales Manager or Visit your local Co-Op Superstores today.