May 2024
Youngstock Worm Egg Counts With the mild and wet weather this spring we have seen a high risk for both coccidial and Nematodirus infections in lambs. We have also started to see counts of other types of worms in the lambs, against which white drenches are unlikely to be effective. It is important to use worm egg counts and regular weighing to determine the best time to treat and most effective treatment to use. Unfortunately, wormer resistance is rife in sheep flocks and it is no longer sustainable to treat routinely without further information. With the prolonged time of housing, young calves are at an increased risk of coccidiosis and a faecal sample can be used to monitor levels of infection in your calves. By the time calves start to scour from the infection, the gut damage has already occurred, and preventative treatment is too late, therefore it is important to monitor infection levels in healthy calves. Grazing store cattle are likely to encounter significant worm infections from the pasture in late May, early June (weather and grazing history dependant) so it is a good idea to monitor faecal samples regularly a few weeks following turnout to determine the best time for treatment. Suckler calves are unlikely to encounter a significant worm infection until later in the summer when they are grazing more effectively.
Tips from Sarah Morgan at Precision grazing We hope the weather continues to improve but with the never ending rain Sarah Morgan has given us some tips from grazing in difficult conditions. Dairy: • Graze lower covers allocating a larger area to reduce soil damage. • On/Off graze, turn cows out with an appetite to graze and bring them back in once the field has been grazed to reduce poaching • Prioritise grazing fields with maximum number of gateways (aim to only use a gateway once.) Beef and Sheep: • Lightly set stock cattle with ewes and lambs, once conditions allow begin a grazing rotation (aim for a minimum of 8 fields/paddocks) • Once lambs are 3 weeks old consider ‘mobbing up’ ewe groups (max 250 ewes with lambs) and begin grazing rotation to allow lambing paddocks at least 25 rest. • Alternatively if infrastructure is in place aim to move cattle daily, allocate 25% extra area toi reduce poaching. • Grass growth is likely to be lower than demand on farm, if pasture covers are insufficient consider supplementing stock. For more information please visit: https://precisiongrazing.com/
Animal Health and Welfare Pathway Now is a good time for sheep farmers to apply for the Animal Health and Welfare Review funding. This funding contributes £436 towards a vet visit and a wormer resistance check test on at least 10 lambs. The visit will include a discussion on any health and welfare concerns you may have with your flock, such as; lamb mortality, ewe abortion, lameness, mastitis and worm control. We can also discuss flock biosecurity to reduce risk of disease and the use of medicines in the flock. To apply for the funding you require: at least 21 sheep which need to be seen during the visit an SBI number a CPH number The application process is relatively straightforward through your RPA log in. The review must be completed within six months of application which is why now is an ideal time for sheep farmers to apply as the faecal test must be completed on lambs as part of the review. Once you have had a vet visit and we have received the results of testing, we will provide you with a report and summary to allow you to claim your funding, so please ensure that you book the visit in plenty of time to allow us to complete this paperwork. We can also provide a VAN number, for those of you who are not farm assured, as part of this process. Unfortunately, you can only apply for one species every 10 months, so if you have a mixed enterprise and recently had a cattle review for your youngstock BVD check test in the autumn/winter, you will not be able to apply for the sheep funding this year. They are hoping to change this in the future so you can apply for funding for both cattle and sheep (and commercial pigs) each year.