Paddock Rest - Worming guides

[Taffieboy1]

Just had worm counts done on my 2 horses, both kept apart in seperate paddocks, 1 came back at 100 epg, and other at 300 epg, so have re wormed them & kept in for 48 hours, now they are back out in paddocks that have not been used since Dec last year. Now the paddocks that I have just taken them off, will obviously have eggs on the pasture, even though I do poo pick twice a day, each paddock.
My question is, is there anything I can do to speed up the process of killing off any pasture infestation in the old paddocks & how long to rest them for ?
There is a lady a couple of fields away that I have never known to worm, but that couldnt infest my fields could it, as her horses are never on my pasture.
I am now living on a farm, have had my horses 5 years, and worm counts have always been <50epg
Its only since being here, that one of them has gone up considerably, will leave it 10 days & then send in another sample from both & see what the counts come back like again.

 

[samlf]

I am pretty sure you are not supposed to worm if you get a count at that level as it is classed as 'low' and worming when low can increase the likelihood of resistance.
Also you should never worm and move to new paddocks as any worms which go into the new paddock will be resistant to the wormer you have used.

 

[Taffieboy1]

300 epg, is a medium count not low count.
So at 300 epg both the vets & labs suggest
that you worn again. At 100 epg, low count
they state you may want to hold off worming
but to worm isn't a problem, only below 50 epg
means don't worm.
So after you worm, you keep them in 48 hours
then where you supposed to turn them out ?
Also why would they be resistant if turned out
on new pasture ?

 

[samlf]

apologies yes 300 is a medium count.
Well as I understand it, if you worm your horse any remaining worms will be resistant to the wormer you used. When you then put the horse on new pasture 100% of the population of worms will be resistant to that wormer.

 

[lizness]

You could cross graze with sheep. Most worms can't survive in other animals so sheep will injest then break the cycle.
I think minimum rest time is 3 months. Although I would check this.
Samlf is correct you have wiped out all resistant worms (although I believe few will have 100% effectiveness) so the worms left will have resistance these will breed with only resistant worms, opposed to if they were turned out on dirty paddock where they would be diluted with non resistant worms, and breed with them therefore diluting the resistant. ON clean paddocks offspring of worms would be all resistant. I hope this makes sense!

 

[Taffieboy1]

So what happens in big yards when new horses arrive they get wormed, stabled 48 hours then turned out, surely the pastures there are v v resistant strains of worms on them ?
Does twice daily poo picking & chain harrowing reduce burden ?

 

[Polos Mum]

Just a thought but if you buy hay in that might be where the worm eggs come from, some survive the hay making process if fields have been grazed. You can't get rid of all worms, even birds bringing them in on their feet etc.
Poo picking an good periods of rest help