Waikato DairyNZ Farmwatch for week ending November 24

Photo / DairyNZ

COMMENT

By DairyNZ

With calves being weaned their pasture intake will be increasing and so will their exposure to worm eggs.

A well-planned drench programme is an important part of getting good growth from your calves while reducing the risk of drench-resistant worms.

A few points to consider.

• Oral drenching works best on young calves (under 120kg), they are cheaper and have a bigger safety margin than pour-ons.

• Drenches should always be a combination production with a least two active ingredients, as these will be more effective than single actives and will slow the development of resistance on your farm.

• Always weigh the calves or use a weigh tape, never guess their weight to avoid over or under-drenching. Check the gun is calibrated and delivers the correct dose.

• Regular weighing of calves and entering their weight into the likes of MINDA allows you to track weight gain and take action if needed. Don’t forget the vaccinations for calves for Lepto and clostridial diseases. Some at-risk farms will also vaccinate for salmonella and BVD. Discuss with your vet.

Farmwatch graphic / DairyNZ

For more info check out - wormwise-dairy from Beef + Lamb NZ.