Quarantine wormer vital for efficient worm control

Sheep producers buying in stock this autumn should use a quarantine wormer, according to independent consultant Lesley Stubbings, of the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (Scops).

She says too many sheep producers dismiss the notion of biosecurity and don’t include a quarantine dose for bought-in stock as part of their annual worming programme.

“Buying in stock could mean producers are also buying in resistant worms, and when infected sheep are not dosed with an effective wormer they risk these worms being shed on to pastures and their farm developing a resistant worm problem,” she explains.

Scops is advocating use of the new 4-AD class (monepantel) wormer in conjunction with moxidectin. “This will ensure there is no chance of any worms that are resistant to the white, yellow or avermectin in the clear group slipping through the net.”