Worming your horse

• Worm all new arrivals.
• Dose your horse accurately according to itsweight, using a reduced dose results in more worms surviving leading to pasture contamination, as well as contributing to the development of resistance. Weight can be established by means of a weigh tape.
• Treat your horse at least annually against encysted small redworm, this can be treated with either the 5 day Panacur Guard or the Equest.
• Worm pregnant mares before and after foaling.
• Foals have a low resistance to worms and can quickly acquire massive worm burdens, as such worming of foals should start at four - six weeks of age. (Moxidectin (Equest) should not be used in foals Less than 4 months of age and the equest Pramox should not be used in foals under the age of 6 1/2 months.
• All horses on the same yard/pasture should ideally be wormed at the same time, with the same product.
• Keep a record of when you worm and what you use.
• Mile End run a scheme to let you know by e-mail or phone when your horse/s are next due for worming and offer Free impartial advice on products available and which are suitable.

PASTURE MANAGEMENT

Remove horse droppings from your pasture regularly, at least twice weekly during the grazing season, and once a week between November and March. Twice weekly removal will need to be continued year round if Autumn and Winter remain mild and wet as high levels of infective larvae can occur at any time of year when rainfall and mild ambient temperatures conincide. particularly important where pasture is over stocked. A typical horse , weighing 450kg, produces 5 - 12 pats or approx 24kg a day, that's around 10 tonnes a year!

pasture should not be overcrowded/over stocked - ideally fields should contain no more than one or two horses per acre, as horses lower down the pecking order will be forced to graze the rough pasture where worm burdens will be higher.

If possible divide paddocks into smaller areas so they can be alternatively grazed and rested to reduce pressure on pasture - also making it easier for you to remove droppings.

Resting pasture is a good idea, but is not always an option. Worm larvae can live for many years on pasture and in horses so simply resting pasture does not guarantee it being worm free.

Graze pasture with cattle/sheep. Worms that affect horses are generally host secific and cannot survive in cattle or sheep. Any larvae eaten by cattle or sheep will be destroyed - known as the "biological" vacuum cleaning effect".

Ideally foals should not be grazed alongside older horses as foals are a major source of pasture contamination and require more regular worming.

WHAT TO USE?

Mile End can help you establish which wormer to use next, but a basic plan is set out below.

• Spring - Equimax, this is treating the tapeworm, small redworm (but not the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck threadworm, lungworm and bots.
• 10 week interval before next wormer
• Summer months - Eraquell, this is treating the small redworm (but not the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck threadworm, lungworm and bots.
• 10 week interval before next wormer
• Autumn - Equimax, this is treating the tapeworm, small redworm (but not the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck threadworm, lungworm and bots.
• Between the months of December and Feruary a treatment for the encysted small redworm would need to be done, this can be treated using the Equest or the 5 day Panacur Guard.
• This is just one example of a plan that can be followed, there are other effective worming plans, please do not hesitate to contact the staff at Mile End who will be happy to advise.

Wormers (active Ingredient and what they treat)

Equimax contains Praziquantel and Ivermectin, treating tapeworm, small redworm (but not the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck threadworm, lungworm and bots. Licensed for use in foals from 2 weeks of age. 10 weeks dosing interval. Treats 700kg bodyweight.

Equest Pramox contains Moxidectin and Praziquantel treating tapeworm, small redworm including the encysted, large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm and bots. 6 month dosing interval. (NOT LICENSED FOR USE IN PREGNANT/ LACTATING MARES OR FOALS UNDER THE AGE OF 6 1/2 MONTHS). Treats 575kg bodyweight.

Eqvalan Duo -contains Praziquantel and Ivermectin, treating tapeworm, small redworm (but not the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck threadworm, lungworm and bots. 6 month dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Equitape contains Praziquantel which treats tapeworm. 6 month dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Equest contains Moxidectin treating small redworm including the encysted, large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm and bots. 13 weeks dosing interval. (NOT LICENSED FOR USE IN FOALS UNDER THE AGE OF 4 MONTHS). Treats 575kg bodyweight.

Eraquell contains Ivermectin treating small redworm (but not the the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck thread worm, lungworm and bots. 8 - 10 weeks dosing interval Treats 700kg bodyweight.

Eqvalan contains Ivermectin treating small redworm (but not the the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck thread worm, lungworm and bots. 8 - 10 weeks dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Vectin contains Ivermectin treating small redworm (but not the the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck thread worm, lungworm and bots. 8 - 10 weeks dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Noromectin contains Ivermectin treating small redworm (but not the the encysted), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm, hair worm, stomach worm, intestinal threadworm, neck thread worm, lungworm and bots. 8 - 10 weeks dosing interval. Treats 700kg bodyweight.

Strongid P Paste contains Pyrantel treating adult small redworm, adult large redworm, adult pinworm and adult large roundworm, tapeworm will be treated with 2 x the standard dose. 4 - 8 weeks dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Strongid P GranuLess contains Pyrantel treating adult small redworm, adult large redworm, adult pinworm and adult large roundworm, tapeworm will be treated with 2 x the standard dose. 4 - 8 weeks dosing interval. 1 sachet treats 300kg bodyweight.

Pyratape P contains Pyrantel treating adult small redworm, adult large redworm, adult pinworm and adult large roundworm, tapeworm will be treated with 2 x the standard dose. 4 - 8 weeks dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.

Panacur contains Febendazole treating small redworm ( encysted with the 5 day treatment), large redworm, pinworm, large roundworm. 6 - 8 weeks dosing interval. Treats 600kg bodyweight.