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EDITOR ’ S INTRO
Great news , 2022 has got off to a great start with the dreaded COVID restrictions now almost behind us .
RICHARD Tasker and his team took the gamble to plough on with YAMS this year and what a success with the highest attendance figures since its start in 2014 . Checkout the full review inside the magazine from page 28 .
As well as YAMS , I had two excellent days attending Ripon Farm Services ( p . 18 ) and Farmstar ’ s open events ( p . 66 ). Again both very well attended with a strong level of deals on the day .
I think many farmers are now very keen to get out and about and see people . You can ’ t beat doing a deal face to face rather than online . Online auctions are becoming more popular however I don ’ t think you can ever replace the social side of buying and selling at auction .
In this issue Chris Berry has been chatting with James Danforth of Walton Lodge Farm ( p . 52 ) a young farmer doing brilliantly with his flock of sheep .
I recently met up with Denys and Mary Fell of Densholme Care Farm near Hull – a very interesting story of a farm diversifying into the area of care in the community ( p . 36 ).
More diversification success from Tom and Mark Willoughby of Woodend Farm ( p . 40 ) including digger hire , drainage and agricultural contracting , livery yard and glamping pods !
Read on and enjoy the many features inside .
Owner & Managing Editor Ian Wilkinson
The Farmers Mart love to focus on success . Time and again we see just how good today ’ s farmers really are . Often diversification is key . Are you a farmer with a story - are you just proud of what you do ? Give us a call on 01226 321450 . The great thing is it doesn ’ t cost you , the farmer , anything .
FEB / MAR 2022 • farmers-mart . co . uk
Farmers urged to administer quarantine worming dose to all incoming sheep
Sheep farmers are being advised that all incoming stock , including sheep returning from winter grazing , should be quarantined and dosed with one of the newer wormer groups ( eg Grp 4 Zolvix ) to prevent resistant worms being brought onto the farm .
MATT Colston , ruminant technical consultant at Elanco Animal Health , says while the need to quarantine newly purchased stock is now common practice , the process is sometimes overlooked for sheep that have returned from grazing elsewhere .
“ It ’ s vital to remember that sheep returning from grazing other farms can pose the same risk as new incoming stock . Whether stock is grazing common land or rented ground , unless you ’ ve had sole use of that land for at least two years , it ’ s important to treat these sheep as “ incomers ” and use one of the newer actives ( e . g . Zolvix ) as above to clear out any resistant worms ,” explains Mr Colston .
There continues to be an upward trend in wormer resistance , with a study showing that 98 % of farms now have detectable resistance to one or more of the three older group 1,2 and 3 wormer classes1 . Mr Colston says every precaution must be taken to slow down the rate of resistance .
“ Resistant worms have a profound negative impact on
flock health and performance , and once resistance to wormers has developed it ’ s irreversible . Therefore , it ’ s vital that farmers , vets and other advisers work together to implement an effective worming strategy that both protects flock performance and preserves wormer efficacy .” Mr Colston outlines the recommendations for quarantine treatment of both newly purchased and at-risk returning sheep .
“ First of all , it ’ s essential that the quarantine period starts as soon as sheep arrive , to stop them dropping any worm eggs onto pasture . Before treating , I ’ d advise weighing the sheep and
calibrating equipment , to ensure they are dosed accurately . A scab treatment can also be administered at this time ,” he says .
“ Worming with Zolvix™ , should then take place as soon as possible after arrival , with animals yarded or housed for a further one to two days , to allow the treatment to take effect .
“ Finally , turn the stock out onto ‘ dirty ’ pasture , that has already held sheep this season . This process will prevent worm eggs passing through the gut and being laid in ‘ clean ’ fields , therefore risking other sheep ,” explains Mr Colston .
The newer group wormers need to be carefully integrated into worming plans and used strategically . In addition to quarantine dosing , Zolvix should also be used once each season for lambs in the mid to late grazing season as a break dose . Use at other times should be under veterinary supervision to avoid the risk of resistance .
For guidance on which wormers to use and when , visit the Sheep Wormer Checker : https :// www . farmanimalhealth . co . uk / sheep / sheep-worms / sheep-wormer-checker .
ISSUE 79 • FEB / MAR 2022
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