Hi from South Australia.

2 posts
Wed, 09/09/2015 - 10:55 #1

Member for

9 years 2 months
OzSouthernBelle
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 09/09/2015 - 10:41

Hi from South Australia.

Morning,

 

I've just signed up on behalf of my father (but he doesn't know).

He's been a hobby sheep farmer for about 10 years now, and things have started getting a little more serious in the last few years. His flock of 15 sheep has expanded out to around 200 and I'm trying to find out a bit of information for him and give him some help.

When he started out he had no real idea about sheep, although he has come a long way he hasn't really evolved much. He still farms the same as he did back when he started - no drenching, no back lining, no injections or salt blocks. I think those are all things he needs to start doing if he wants his flock to become profitable.

 

I guess my search is really for a company or product that hobby farmers use with smaller numbers of animals instead of having to buy 5lt or 20lt drums that the local farming stores have. All they can really suggest is asking local farmers to buy small amounts off of them, but my fathers isn't one to ask for favours.

 

I don't know if I'll be posting a great deal, but I have really enjoyed reading the posts and seeing there are other "crazy" people like my father that are doing well =)

 

OSB

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Fri, 09/11/2015 - 21:08 #2
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi OSB,

Welcome. Aren't you a nice person to think of your dad.

 

If he has 200 sheep, he will probably need to buy the 5Lt containers at least, to back line the sheep for lice and also products to give oral drenches to them for worms. Yes, these products cost money, but if he is breeding the sheep for any market, if they have round worm of any type such as Barbers Pole or Black scour worms then there would be quite a loss of production and in some cases deaths due to these parasites. It is important to note that all these procucts have  a period after use where the animals cannot be sent for slaughter or exported due to chemical residues in them. Depending upon the product used, it can be any where from a month to 90 days. The witholding period is usually listed on the container.

 

It would be worth drenching them, because the sheep market is very good at present with very good prices being paid for them. Currently there is more demand than there is supply.

The least expensive white drench for worms, would probably be Alben (Albendazole), effective on most of the round worm family and also on tapeworm. Alben is sold in most rural supply stores. It is also more  difficult to overdose with Alben than some of the Mectin type clear drenches.

 

I suggest before drenching that you have a faecal egg count done to see what, if any worms they are carrying. Your father can arrange to have it done through this website if you wish. Farmstyle can send the kit to you with instructions on how to collect the dung. The kit is then forwarded to me, and upon reciept of your samples, I do the count, under the micro scope, and send the results on to you, with recommendations as to what drenches are needed and how to administer them. Naturally, there is a charge for this service, but I believe it is less expensive than some labs charge for the same service.

 

If your dad has any questions, about anthing whatsoever to do with his sheep, he only has to ask, and we will be happy to answer them here. There are some very experienced folk on this site who are only to happy to answer questions on anything to do with farming or livestock.

Kind regards,

Barb  

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