Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Hi all.
We have been using a oral wormer on our cattle and to say it is a nightmare is an understatement.
Can anyone please recommend a good pour on wormer for cows and calves (youngest 4mths)?
Thanks

Perhaps what you should do is to get your vet practice to put together a worming programme for the year, it is not neccessarily going to be best to use the same product all the time, and programmes depend on individual herd numbers, other stock on farm, ground conditions etc. There is increasing concern about anthelmintic resistance including liver fluke, and up to date plans would take account of this.

Duncan

We don't worm our Dexters, with the single exception for lung-worm which we've had for a couple of years on and off, and that we can tell by the constant coughing.

Years ago, we wormed routinely once or twice a year, but then, on vet advice, we started to take dung sample for faecal egg counts, especially when cows went runny. The result was a surprise and always the same, nothing to worm for! Not saying this would apply to you, but might be worth getting some egg counts done to see if they have worms, or if calves, cocci. At least you then know what you are dealing with.

Thanks guys
I like the idea of doing egg counts. The less I have to medicate them,,for me the better!!

PS. I forgot that although we don't worm routinely, we will use a pour-on to cover exceptional conditions. This last year has been so wet we have dosed all our cattle with Closamectin pour-on, when they first came in, which I think does most worms and liver fluke. It was the fluke I was worried about. Again speak to vet, my memory is appalling.

Hi

As we live on the Somerset levels we routinely worm ours, they get done when they come in for the winter and then once they are turned out every 8 or 9 weeks. We did use closamectin injection but due to the difficulty in getting the injection out of the gun as the stuff has to be warmed as its like treacle, so we now use closamectin pour on which does a multitude of worms plus lice and other sucking mites, seems to work really well but doing an egg count gives you a rough idea of what's happening in your herd.

This is slightly off topic but I've been using Spot-on to reduce mites when the cattle are inside for the winter. Its been effective for a short period. This year I've used Closamectin as I had one [bought in] steer with liver fluke. Even though the animals have been inside for a full two months longer than usual, there has been no sign of lice or excess scratching at all.

Thanks guys great help. I've also used spot on. Very effective for flies around eyes and face