farm life
May On the Smallholding SUMMER WILL HOPEFULLY BRING NUTRITIOUS VEGETATION TO FEED OUR ANIMALS AND THEIR YOUNG. IT WILL ALSO FAVOUR ALL KINDS OF PARASITES, WHICH ARE A GREAT RISK TO THEIR HEALTH
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a clean pasture, preferably not used nternal parasites are the most since last spring. Sheep build a common serious threat. Sheep and resistance as they mature, but goats do goats pick up the larvae of not. This is because sheep have evolved gastrointestinal roundworms (vers (m), to close-crop grass, where larvae reside, strongles (m)) when grazing plants close while goats naturally focus on higher to the ground. Worms reproduce in the foliage (trees, bushes, brambles), and so animal’s gut, then distribute their eggs avoid larvae, which do not climb more through dung. Larvae hatch in damp than about six centimetres. Goats kept weather and are ingested during grazing. on grass adapt their habits to graze In this way, animals can continue to lower than they would in the wild. reinfect themselves very rapidly. A long Consequently, mature goats also tend to dry or frozen spell can kill off larvae, but suffer from worm burdens, and have these are unlikely to be long enough in traditionally been our region. The wormed with veterinary time it takes for products very regularly. larvae to hatch and Goats kept on grass adapt Unfortunately, this die is variable their habits to graze lower according than they would in the wild practice has resulted in parasites becoming to conditions. resistant to products Some experts licensed for goats and sheep. recommend allowing each pasture to rest for six weeks, but this is unlikely to Current thinking is that worming be long enough in products, such as Panacur and our damp temperate climate. Albendazole, should be used minimally and only for the most vulnerable If you have horses, cows, or donkeys, animals, so that resistance doesn’t you could alternate their grazing with continue to evolve and dominate the sheep or goats. Sheep and goats share parasite population. If all animals are parasites, so should not use the same wormed, only resistant parasites will pasture. However, cattle and equines are remain, and we will have no medication not susceptible to the same roundworms as sheep and goats, so alternating these to fight them with when animals are sick. If tolerant animals are carrying a species can clear pastures of each other’s wide variety of worms, then resistant parasites. In any case, the land must still worms have no advantage over rest once grass cover is reduced to ten susceptible ones and will remain a centimetres to allow regrowth and longminority. Then, when we need to help a term soil maintenance. It is best to set sick animal, the medication will clear the up a rotation of your pastures. For a susceptible ones out. So, we are basically smallholding, four pastures can be helping susceptible worms to outenough for a small herd. compete the resistant ones. All grazing animals host parasites. That Indiscriminate use of worming products is inevitable. They only become a and using too little per treatment are the problem when the animal becomes main causes of resistance in parasites. overwhelmed with a heavy worm So when you suspect a worm infection, burden. Animals vary in their take a sample of fresh droppings to the vulnerability: lambs and kids are highly susceptible and should be introduced to vet for an egg test (une coproscopie).
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The vet will tell you if you need to treat your animal. Make sure you know the correct weight of the animal you will treat so your vet can calculate the dose. You may also want to worm a section of your animals that you think are vulnerable (e.g. those who are going to give birth, the elderly). For this group, dose at the weight of the heaviest animal. Try not to de-worm more than a quarter of the flock and only once a year, if possible. Remember that pharmaceutical wormers also kill soil invertebrates, so their use is detrimental to the ecosystem. Poultry are also susceptible to parasites, so it is important for runs to be regularly changed to fresh ground, or let them free-range if you can. Feeders and water bowls need to be kept clean of droppings. In any case, your best line of defence is pasture rotation to ensure healthy and well-fed animals.
