Minerals play a huge role in our sheep's resistance to parasites. I remember Barb Lee had a ram a few years ago who had a perpetual problem with parasites until she upped his selenium intake, then he was like a whole other ram. Many of the health problems in our animals (and people) are mistaken for a genetic problem, but are actually a nutritional deficiency.
Julian On 7/19/2011 1:34 PM, Jerry wrote: > Fellow Blackbelliers, > > I have lost 3 ram lambs (all born in January) in the past 6 weeks, all > from anemia due to parasites. I have had ABBs for 6 years now and > lost a few others along the way but nothing like this year. I have > been operating on the theory of letting those least resistant ones die > out rather than pass on their genes. But three out of about 40 is too > many and I took another one, clearly with anemia, and acting > lethargic, to the vet today. These were all destined for the November > market. The vet recommended Panacur at 10 ml per animal for the > entire flock today and again in two weeks . Our farm is in hot, humid > South Mississippi with lots of rain and grass. Our flock is divided > into three sub-flocks. Two of these smaller groups are rotated onto > various paddocks of pasture when the grass gets higher in another > paddock. The biggest group is on more pasture than they can eat down > (in the spring and summer anyway). All of the deaths have occurred in > the smaller two flocks. > > My questions are these: Those of you who do not deworm, what is your > average loss rate? I suppose it would be different in arid climates > than in humid ones. > Has anyone in a similar > environment to mine found that you have to deworm regularly to keep > the flocks healthy? And if so, how often? And with which > pharmaceuticals? > > Thanks for your help and for any advice you may have, > > Jerry Kirby > Windmill Farms LLC > Picayune, Mississippi > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
