How long does wormer stay in poos - dung beetles?

[Polos Mum]

I'd be grateful for your collective wisdom.

How long should I keep horses in after worming to protect the dung beetles? I have a lovely collection of beetles which I am sure help my grazing in several of the fields and they struggled with the cold weather in Yorkshire this spring.

Usually I only worm for tapes and encysted in autumn and have one specific field for that (it's knee deep in grass and can't be used now) but youngsters count means a mid season worm.

So is 36 hours enough ?

I also have collie dogs so keen to avoid poisoning them too! I usually keep them out of the stables for a week but hopefully that's over cautious and the poo is OK for dung beetles before then!

 

[ester]

Depends on the wormer, moxidectin lasts a long time in the dung iirc weeks not hours but I can't remember how that worked out with it coming out from treated animal
While I was at bristol undergradding there was a research group for it (mostly making fake cow pats)

 

[Polos Mum]

Thanks Ester, clearly missing key information it was Eraquell so Invermectin based

 

[NightStock]

I had a look on the land management group on FB, it seems some on there keep their beetle population despite worming, by keeping them in for 48-72 hrs.
Congratulations on the beetles though, you must be doing something right

 

[fidleyspromise]

My horses live out (no stables only a shelter) so I try to keep them on a small paddock for 72 hours and pooh in that time is removed to a muck heap outside the field (the main yard muck heap) whereas normally I dump my wheelbarrow in a corner of field and it's removed annually. I have a good amount of dung beetles in my paddock so this seems to be working for me.
Last year I was worming every 4 months or so as I struggled to get rid of Tapeworm from one pony and they're wormed every December.

 

[Polos Mum]

Brilliant - thanks all

Sounds like 72 hours to be safe, we have at least 2 type small ones that come up under poos in lots of small holes and make a sponge type texture in the ground and the best are massive ones that leave a long thumb size channel under the poo and are the most amazing electric blue underneath (although rarely see them - just their huge tunnels)

 

[L&M]

We have loads of dung beetles and I just love watching them - if they are active in a dropping whilst poo picking, I try to leave a bit for them to work on, and get very upset if I disturb one!

I am putting off worming mine until the dung beetles are no longer around.

Lovely to see your consideration.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

We have loads of huge dung beetles in our fields & I always feel guilty poo picking when I find tunnels underneath. I didn't even think about worming hurting them so really glad to have read this - I can be more careful now I know as they're fab little creatures.