BTB Issue 22 - Key IPM-s strategies for your farm
There is a major message coming from the Integrated Parasite Management-sheep (IPM-s) project in terms of worm control - every farm is different - but IPM-s programs will provide the flexibility to deal with this variability.
Therefore, sheep farmers need to develop and monitor their IPM-s programs in consultation with a veterinary or animal health expert who is familiar with both the research and the subtleties of their local environment.
The major components of a farm’s IPM-s program will vary among sheep-producing regions and could include:
Worms
- testing for drench resistance to know which drenches are effective against the parasites on your property;
- monitoring worm egg counts at critical times of the year in different mobs;
- drenching only after monitoring of worm egg counts indicate the need;
- timing drenches to reduce worm burdens or slow the development of drench resistance;
- using grazing management strategies to reduce exposure of sheep to worms on pasture, such as the ‘Smart Grazing’ approach developed by the Mackinnon Project for winter rainfall regions, or intensive rotational grazing, or sheep-cattle interchange in summer rainfall regions;
- selecting sheep for both increased resistance to worms (low worm egg count) and, in winter rainfall regions, for less scouring (low dag score);
- setting targets for ewe condition score at lambing and weaner bodyweight over summer-autumn and monitoring progress towards meeting these targets; and
- use of protein meal supplements during late pregnancy in summer rainfall regions to increase worm resistance.
Lice
- instituting a lice biosecurity plan which could include checking lice history and quarantining purchased or agisted sheep, preventing strays, guarding against the introduction of lice by contractors or shearers who have recently been on an infested property and coordinating treatment with neighbours;
- monitoring for lice before shearing, before crutching and at other times when sheep are yarded; and
- if lice are detected, treating thoroughly with an effective chemical at next shearing regardless of whether or not a long wool treatment was used – ALL sheep must be mustered and treated.
Flystrike
- correct tail docking and mulesing (or a replacement technology);
- strategic timing of crutching and shearing;
- selecting sheep that have reduced susceptibility to both body and breech strike;
- controlling scouring through good worm control, selection for low dag score and nutritional management;
- strategic application of pesticides with regard to fly biology, flystrike risk and residues; and
- other methods that may be applicable on some properties – including choice of low flystrike risk paddocks for the most susceptible sheep and the strategic use of flytraps.
Find out more about IPM or return to index page.