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Parasite Forecast - March

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Current

Nematodirus risk has been flagged as amber, as air temperature has already been high enough  (11.5 – 17° C) for Nematodirus development this year.  Once a 7 full days in this temperature range have passed, eggs are fully developed and hatch on pasture.
If lambs are grazing pastures grazed by last year’s lambs be vigilant for signs (straining, watery diarrhoea) and treat with WHITE drench.  
Coccidiosis can look very similar.  This is typically associated with high stocking rates, trough feeding, and young lambs grazing pasture recently grazed by older lambs.
Cocci may be seen in housed as well as grazed animals.
In all species, the risk of parasitic gastroenteritis will present from 6-8wks post birth/turnout.  Monitor with regular worm egg counts and monitor growth rates.
Lungworm: talk to us about protecting your stock through vaccination.
Liver fluke risk level remained low all season but we have now made a liver fluke diagnosis (after lots of screening with negative results in the last few months!).  Testing to see whether or not you need to treat is cost-effective and reliable and can be done via blood or faecal samples.