With lambs now on the ground, you might be thinking: When should I give my lambs their first drench? And what type of drench do I use?
Once lambs develop their rumen, they can host internal parasites. From then on, their immune system responds to incoming larvae, and we see young stock with reduced appetite, poor growth, and scours – all as outcomes of immune system stimulation.
We’ve been talking to lots of farmers about how to avoid parasites, and how to modify their system to favour the animals, not the parasites. However, we know that dench still has its place in an effective parasite management programme.
At pre-weaning/weaning time the largest number of lambs are drenched compared to any other part of the season. This drenching has to be needed and effective.
Farmers often know when it’s needed. They can see symptoms or can predict when challenge will be high, based on what’s been in the paddock previously. A simple FEC (faecal egg count) test through us can help with this decision making and check if it’s really required. We know many farmers still drench four weeks before weaning, but also many that are moving to drenching only when required (and this might not be at weaning). So it’s worth considering timing for your lambs this year – weaning time may be easier when not having to drench all the lambs as well.
Some farmers have now done drench testing on their flock to know what is effective. If you haven’t, we recommend using a triple drench and following up with a post-drench check (a type of FEC using 10 samples collected 10 days after drenching). It’s important to consider that spring/early summer parasites are different from autumn parasites. So, if you have done drench testing before, but it was in the autumn, it may pay to ask your KeyVet for a recommendation this spring.
Knowing the effectiveness of your drench ensures you are using the right product, making the most of your animal health spend, and not creating resistant parasites.
If you’re using a novel drench this season (i.e. Startect or Zolvix Plus), remember there are no minerals in these products! Selenium and B12 can be supplemented separately or in combination with a clostridial vaccine.
