Targeted Worming Strategy

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Resistance to wormers is already widespread with some worms resistant to many worming products (e.g. small redworms to benzimidazoles). Other presently more reliable products may also be at risk of resistance problems in the future.
 
We are able to use faecal worm egg counts to reduce reliance on worming drugs.  The advantages of this are as follows:

• Reduced cost
• Environmentally friendly
• Reduced risk of resistance developing

However, this approach is only appropriate if the following conditions are met:

• All horses currently grazing the pasture participate
• The pasture has a low larval/egg worm burden (all horses grazing the pasture over the previous 12 months have been effectively wormed)
• Droppings are collected
• New horses are wormed and isolated for 48 hours before turn-out

PROGRAM

Except in November horses are only treated when a significant worm burden is identified (200 eggs per gram faeces (epg) or more).

A single ball of faeces in a labelled plastic bag is all that is required.  Turn the bag inside out, put your hand inside the bag, grab a ball or similar amount of dung, pull the bag over the dung and knot it.  Don’t forget the label so we know from which horse the sample came.  Drop the sample into the surgery and we will test it for £8 plus VAT.  We will telephone the results within 48 hours48ours.