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Worm control is aimed at preventing worms from completing their
lifecycle,
preventing further contamination of pasture with worm
eggs from adult
worms passed out in dung
Pasture Management
- • Dividing paddocks into smaller areas so they can be alternately grazed and rested will help grass growth. But this has little impact on worm control unless combined with a comprehensive worming programme involving all horses grazing together
- • Where possible, leaving pasture ungrazed by horses from late Summer until the following Spring will help worm control as the majority of larvae that have over-wintered on pasture will have died off. There are exceptions e.g. eggs of the large roundworm (Parascaris equorum) can live for years in soil
- • Try not to overcrowd pastures. Overcrowding increases the overall level of infection on pasture. Horses lower down the 'pecking order' will be forced to graze nearer to piles of dung and become more at risk of ingesting even higher levels of worm larvae
- • Graze pasture with cattle or sheep (equine specific parasite larvae will not survive if eaten by a cow or sheep)
- • Harrowing is inadvisable in wet conditions but can be useful in dry conditions, when the larvae will desiccate (dry out) and die
- • Worm infection is likely to be highest in warm, damp weather conditions (grazing season). They favour rapid development of eggs and larvae to infective stages. These move out of the dung and up blades of grass in a film of moisture to be eaten during grazing
- • Take away horse droppings to take away the source of worm eggs (new infection) at least twice weekly, if possible
- • It is advisable not to move
horses to clean pasture immediately after dosing
Worming the Horse
SMART is the new tailored approach to effective horse
worming. You Simply Monitor the situation
regularly, Assess the Risk to your
horse using a worm egg count. If necessary, you then Treat
with the most appropriate wormer. Click here to find out more about worm
egg counts
- • Weigh the horse (or use a weigh band)
to enable accurate dosing
- • All new arrivals should be wormed
based on their previous worming history. For horses with an unknown worming
history it is advisable to treat for encysted small redworm and common worms
with a five-day course of fenbendazole, or a single dose of moxidectin. It
is advisable to quarantine all new arrivals for at least 48 hours to check
their general health. If in doubt contact your veterinary surgeon.
- • It may be advisable to stable horses for up to three days post treatment
to reduce pasture contamination
- • Check that your wormers are working by undertaking a faecal egg count
reduction test post treatment, contact your vet or Suitably Qualified Person
(SQP) if you have any concerns
- • Worm pregnant mares before foaling.
EQVALAN® is approved for pregnant and lactating mares. EQVALAN® Duo can also be used in pregnant mares after the first three months of pregnancy, and during lactation and also in foals from two months of age. Due to lack of data, mares in the first 3 months of pregnancy should only be treated with EQVALAN® Duo
on veterinary advice. Use a wormer known to control worms resistant to
benzimidazole-based wormers
- • It may be necessary to treat against
tapeworm in the Spring and also in the Autumn at the end of the Summer grazing
- ask for advice from your veterinary surgeon or SQP
- • It may be necessary to treat for encysted small redworm in the winter
– ask for advise from your veterinary surgeon or SQP
- • Keep a record of when you worm your horse and what you use
- • It is advisable not to move horses
to clean pasture immediately after dosing
- • Stallions have been treated with
no adverse effects to their health and fertility with EQVALAN® paste
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