Once again we got hit with the Barber Pole worms. It came a bit later this year but as soon as it cooled down a bit and we got that rain the other day I noticed three ewes had developed a tell-tale pouch under their chin.
We wormed everyone the first week of April so it hasn't even been three months yet. So I got out the second batch of wormer and got two of the three ewes wormed again but the third one eluded me until this morning. By late afternoon she was already dead.
This is the second year in a row now. Where these nasty parasites came from or how they got out in my pastures is still a mystery to me as we never had an issue with them until the monsoon we had in June last year and it was over three years since we had introduced a new flock member. I guess when ya got 50+ sheep and babies running around you are going to lose one on a pretty regular basis but these worms strike fast and hard and build up an immunity to the wormer used almost immediately which means we have three tries at getting the sheep through the danger period and then we are out of ammo so to speak.
Tomorrow I am dosing the entire flock once again but since this is the second year in a row now I am going to go ahead and start planning a seasonal rotation and dosing every June. This is why my fencing project is so important right now to allow us a greater freedom to move the sheep and isolate an infected pasture immediately. The trouble is timing it to correspond to the proper temperature and humidity/moisture levels I think. If I do it too soon I waste a shot since these worms are so resistant to the wormer and if there are any resistant eggs left and you rotate the flock into a clean field it becomes contaminated.
Up until this point I had hoped that last year was a one off issue and wouldn't return since as I said we never had a problem before and we got all that rain in a short period. Guess I was wrong on that score but I did catch it quick once the first signs began.
The worst part of this is though thinking about what might happen in a long term grid down situation when modern day wormer medicines are not readily available. I shudder to think about it.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!
I thought you might get by with out getting those nasty worms this year. I have seen deer eating trees that are really not good to eat and someone told me that they do it to eliminate worms. Not sure how the guy knew unless he read a study or something but the point is that maybe a natural poisonous weed might work. Another guy told me that they used to feed tobacco to horses for the same reason, don't know but something simple like that may have been used in the past, it might be worth researching for grid down.
ReplyDeleteSf - I have read that Pumpkin seeds act as a natural wormer but I am sure there must be something else out there too. One thing that would help though is ina grid down situation I guess confinement to pastures wouldn't be as much of an issue. Sheep don't really wander far honestly as a general rule the real reason I keep em fenced is because of cars more than anything else.
DeleteA suggestion:
ReplyDeletehttp://countryfolks.com/using-copper-oxide-wire-particles-to-help-control-barber-pole-worms-on-northeast-sheep-and-goat-farms/
http://farmprogress.com/story-sheep-goat-farms-confirm-new-remedies-barber-pole-worms-9-122976
http://www.wormx.info/#!cowp2014/cu84
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2e87c3c9-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&ccd=IBL004
Alissasandersonphoto - I read about the copper treatment last year but the vet was dead against it because of the copper issue with sheep. I tried explaining it was a different make up but he seemed to not understand. Biggest issue is I have no way of getting the stuff around here that I have found.
DeleteI also read simple salt seems to help.
I work at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory with several veterinarians and veterinary pathologists. We see sheep/goats dead frequently (more than frequently!) from parasite loads, barberpole worms are the biggest offender. We've seen producers successfully using the copper infused wire and reducing losses by 90%. You do have to be careful with the copper levels, but as we live in an area with copper deficient soils it's not a huge issue here, they simply reduce the amount they supplement. If you have copper rich soils I can see where it might be difficult, but...if you're losing several animals per season to the worms, it might be worth a shot. I believe (but I am not sure) that these can be ordered without veterinarian approval from places like Valley Vet Supply. I have not tried it myself so I could be mistaken about whether or not it needs approval.
DeleteAs to the salt, I've no experience one way or the other. Couldn't hurt to try!
What a bummer, I think your idea of field rotation will help a lot in the control, although from what I was reading it can live through winter in the ground, I am relived we dont have that one here sorry you ave to deal with parasites like this.
ReplyDeleteDM - I have read that there are areas in New Zealand where they had to stop running sheep because of these worms. I hafta admit they are nasty to deal with here already.
DeleteIf you couldn't buy wormer you can make a tincture from black walnuts that is a strong dewormer but it would be tricky figuring out dosage and such. It can also be used like iodine to disinfect wounds. I am planning to make some this year when the walnuts are green.
ReplyDeleteSorry you lost one. That must be a really awful parasite.
Have you tried mixing food-grade DE (Diatomacious Earth) into your animals' feed? I guess farmers found out a long time ago that, along with being a good anti-caking agent for animal feed, it dewormed the animals. I use it on my chickens. Heck; I use it on myself! Make sure it's food-grade though, as the stuff used for filtration will slice the crap out of their (or your) innards!
ReplyDeletePreppy -You have probably checked this already, but all Wikipedia seems to suggest is wormer, rotational grazing, and pasture management including haying, tilling, or running the field with a nonsusceptible species likes poultry or pigs.
ReplyDeleteWould diatamaous earth work?
ReplyDelete