confusing worm count results

Bosworth

Bosworth

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www.ballhillequestrian.co.uk
I have a yard with approx 20 horses, every horse is worm counted before it is allowed out and wormed as appropriate. the worming programme has been managed for 3 years by a national worming company. I was getting rather fed up with them as results were taking about 7 days to come back and they were forever getting confused about which horse was mine and whuch was a livery so loads of paperwork all the time to keep up. So I decided to send off my November worm counts myself to Westgate. and I have got back results which seem to suggest that all except 3 horses have high worm counts. All horses are kept in groups - and the results of theses peer groups range from 0 - 900 in one group.

All have been wormed according to their worm counts in the past and no new horse has ever been turned out with them without being clear.

So how have their results gone from clear to high in 3 months after 3 years of clear results.

I am starting to question whether the previous tests were just too old by the time they were checked so I have been given 3 years of dodgy results. I am inclined to believe the new results as they are are different so not a job lot.

I am now worming with equimax before they are allowed into their winter pasture and their field will be harrowed hard as soon as they come off them.

Any one else had such a change in results vover such a short time?
 
I do worm counts for out yard of 18 horses & normally use Abbey Diagnostics. I've never had a rapid change in any count & get the results back within 3 days. They email or telephone the result to you. They welcome a phone call to discuss anything that you don't understand as well. I'm happy with their service so have continued to use them.
 
I do worm counts and I have found they can fluctuate more dramatically than you might expect. As you know, they also don't pick up tapeworm or encysted redworm, so you still need to worm with an appropriate product autumn and spring.

You might be advised to do another worm count after worming the horses that had a high count, to be sure the wormer has done its job. Equimax contains ivermectin to which there can be some resistance. I would suggest you use Pramox next spring as there is less resistance to moxidectin. Or if you worm over the winter, use Equest (green).
 
I have been doing worm counts for 5 years and every now and then I get a high count my boys don't mix with other horses and its normally only one and never the same horse.
 
Apart from not picking up tapeworm and encysted redworm, the problem with worm counting is that eggs can congregate in one part of the poo. So to be accurate you should try to take a whole pile of dung and mix it up thoroughly, then take a small sample from this. This isnt easy but much more accurate than just picking out a small sample straight from the fresh poo.

Also, harrowing just spreads the larvae and eggs around. It has been shown that it does not get cold enough nor hot enough for a sufficient length of time in this country to kill them. If you make hay/haylage on your own land (or buy from land that has been grazed with horses) you also have to bear in mind that larvae can survive on the hay, providing a source of re-infestation.
 
Make sure that you pick up the poos each day as this will dramaticaly reduce the worms.

Give each field a 6 months rest to prevent the worms reproducing and thus kill off any worms.

Get a blood test done on each of the horses to detect any Small encystead Round Worms and Tape worms.

Harrowing is a waste of time for elimenating worms as all it does is to spread the worms over the pasture.
 
Worm counts can, and do, rise rapidly for no explicable reason at times.
I have used Abbey Diagnostics for years now, she is always ready with advice if you are worried or confused about results, and I never wait more than 48 hours for results, unlike one other company I used who, like yours, took over a week to get results to me. There are a few companies going, or you can get tests done via your vet.

As said, poo pick daily, rest and rotate your grazing, and don't harrow.
 
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