Worming Foals.

[navaho]

Already posted in the Tack Room, as forgot we had a breeding section lol.

As some of you know Wallace is my first foal that weve had from day one & its been a steep learning curve! So to some of you this is probably a real numpty question, but at what age should i start worming him & what do you usually use & is it safe to worm mum while he is feeding from her....& again, if it is, what do you normally use?
I could Google the info but to be honest you seem to get such conflicting advice over things i thought id rather ask some real people

& for those of you that havnt seen little Wallace, here he is

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201363593795754

 

[CMMB]

Hi the foal should go on a strategic worming programme from 4 weeks of age and be wormed routinely over its first grazing season. The interval between worming will depend on the product you use - every four weeks for pyrantel and fenbendazole; ever 6 weeks for ivermectin (I wouldn't use equest until the winter). In October / November give a double dose of pyrantel and end of dec / begin Jan give Equest. You can move to doing worm egg counts in the second grazing season for summer worm control. You may want to do a second tapeworm dose in April but that depends on local conditions.

In my view the mare does not need routine worming - do worm egg counts for her.

 

[imafluffybunny]

My foals are wormed with eraquell from 6 weeks and every 6 weeks until autumn when they are wormed for tapeworm, then an equest over Winter.
I do worm count mine too but I always worm youngsters regardless as worm damage can cause irreversible damage.

 

[Rollin]

That is interesting. I was advised to worm with Equest at four months. I have never wormed any of my foals at 4 or 6 weeks. I do worm the mares and all my foals are put onto pasture that has been rested and cleaned. They don't go onto fields that have been grazed by other foals for at least a year.

Only once had scours and that was mild.