worming question, out of interest...

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vickyguns

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Just wondering? I know someone who poo picks every day and doesn't worm her horses? Thought this was a crazy idea, then just read in one of the posts someone who said the same?? Am confused now! Can anyone illuminate me on why and if this is true?
 
The idea is, that if you pick all the poo up off the fields every day, the worms wont have a chance to get into the grazing. In theory, if you *know* the worms in the fields are clear, and the poo is picked up, there shoudl be no need to worm.

This is best backed up by a worm count on a regular basis to ensure that nothing else has been picked up from anywhere.

I dont know enough about all the different worms to rely on this......I was under the impression that lung worms are air borne for a start, and bots lay the eggs etc......I would rather worm AND poo pick!!
 
It is best for field management to pick up all the poos once a day as it stops the worms spreading and also prevents the grass from becoming sour. Grass covered by poos will die resulting in weeds taking over from the dead grass.

However the horses should still be regularly wormed as there will be some worms. Do not rely on worm counts as they do not detect encysted emerging small red worms or tape worms.
 
lungworms are definitely not airborne. they're passed in the same way as intestinal worms and the larvae crawl around on the grass waiting to be eaten. generally only get it from donkeys.

bots lay their eggs on the horses legs and then they lick them and swallow them so you cant prevent them by poo-picking.

worm counts dont show encysted redworms or tapeworms so even when i've reduced my worming programme and poo-picked i still do one dose a year of Equest Pramox to cover everything.
 
Aye, I thought so. I always poo pick and always worm, as was always told worms are inherent in and on the land, whether cleared or not, and also the bots as said. I was just starting to think I had been hugely wrong all these years!..(and that I might be able to dodge wormer expenses, lol)
 
out of interest, and slightly OT, why woudl you double dose a horse that has been out (at all) in a field during the winter, in April, yet a horse that has been in all winter, isnt recomended to be doouble dosed until July????

I have spoken to the manufacters of Strongid about this, but i still didnt understand!!
 
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I never heard of this!, will be interesting to to hear a reply!

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Neither had I, till I was studying the box of a strongid paste. It clearly siad to double dose in July & October....I was horrified thinking I had been going wrong all these years.....looked on the website and it says April. When I called them, they told me about the difference in the horses being in or out over the winter.......

bizarre.....personally, I think it is a money making thing on their behalf....ie the horses stabled all winter dont *need* double dosing????
 
hmmm, wonder if it could be to do with time spent grazing, i.e horse that's been in all winter won't be 'infested' until a later date than one who's been out all winter...???? OR, it could just be a money making thing, damn them!..lol
 
New Liverpool System.

Due to concerns about the development of RESISTANCE by small red worms to some of the wormers currently used, clinicians at Liverpool University have devised a system so that the use of anthelmintics (wormers) can be reduced. They point out that under the traditional system many horses are wormed every six weeks even if they have no worm infection. The Liverpool system relies on regularly monitoring the number of eggs in every horse sharing pasture. Liverpool University has developed the Diagnosteq' service to analyse samples and advise when worming becomes necessary.

Collect faecal sample every six weeks and submit for worm egg count. (Diagnosteq £7.00 + V.A.T.). If samples are negative the testing interval is extended to three months and in some cases to six months.
Do not worm the horses unless 50% of animals have an egg count over 300 eggs/g.
Blood sample once yearly to check for tape worms. (Diagnosteq £15.00 +V.A.T.). Can be arranged with annual vaccination.
Take a faecal egg count from any new horse coming onto the yard and worm accordingly.
Advantages of the system are:-

Fewer wormers are used, this will hopefully delay the development of resistance. This should mean that the existing wormers will be available to treat worm infection.
Although the initial set up costs will be higher than the traditional system, eventually there should be a saving on the purchase of wormers.
It's a 'green' system. Fewer drugs are administered to the horses.
Monitoring of the faecal egg counts gives assurance that the worm control strategy is working.
You can also visit the Liverpool University site www.liverpool.ac.uk for more information.

(Taken from Pool House Equine Veterinary Clinic Website)
 
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lungworms are definitely not airborne. they're passed in the same way as intestinal worms and the larvae crawl around on the grass waiting to be eaten. generally only get it from donkeys.



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Where do donkeys get lungworm from? It is very rare for donkeys to carry lungworm these days. They can be found from wormcounts if present.

I poo pick daily, do regular worm counts and only worm for tapes/bots/encusted as stated. In seven years I have never had a worm count above <50 epg, so something is being done right!
 
i poo pick every day i have just started to egg count mine the first count come back clear so the lady told me to do another count in 8 weeks to make sure there was nothing brewing and to make sure there was nothing being picked up in the pasture if that comes back clear she said to worm in november for tapes enysted and bots coz that is what the test can not count do another test after that wormer has run its cause if that comes back clear worm in spring just for tapes and then through the grazing season get counts done every 12 to 14 weeks to make sure everything is good!
 
I remember now how complex an issue worming can be! *head explodes.........
I am blessed that my pasture has never been grazed by horses before and was completely poisoned and re-seeded two years ago. (not that that would make a difference I'm sure.... oh no! have I just started another question?...sorry!)
 
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