Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Allison Price
Worming should be done every 6-8 weeks. It is important to create a sustainable program for worming your property. Your horses’ health will be protected if you combine effective worm control with good pasture management.
Horses are not the only animal that has parasites. Your horse can live with worms if it is managed well. Without proper management, worm infestations can cause health problems such as colic, diarrhoea, and weight loss.
Faecal egg Count
There are many factors that influence how often you should worm your horses. These include whether they move around a lot, whether there are many horses on the property or whether you have a lot of horses.
A faecal eggs count reduction test (FECRT) is the best way to determine how often you should worm your animals. It should be performed one week prior to worming and again two weeks later. The FECRT will tell you which wormers are most effective and what worms your horse is carrying.
Worm Resistance
With only three drug classes available – the Benzimidazoles (BZ’s), the Tetrahydropyrimidines (THP’s) and the Macrocyclic Lactones (ML’s) – worm resistance is becoming more concerning. You must target the main parasite threats to counterworm resistance and make sure you are properly dosing.
Small strongyles in foals and large roundworms for horses are the most dangerous worms in Australia. After you have determined which wormers are most effective for your property, it is important to adjust the dosage based on weight. You can get worm resistance if you give too much.
Worm Prevention
There are many steps you can take, other than worming. The number of larvae can be drastically reduced by removing manure from paddocks at minimum once per week.
You can also protect your horses by allowing them to rest in dry, hot areas during the summer. You can prevent new worm species from spreading by quarantining horses that have just arrived.
