Around the Camp: humpyback, drench rotation, new Advisory Panel members, decision time, garment labelling, Deep Dive on summer worm larvae survival

  1. Quick picks: Humpyback, decision time, why is combination better than rotation, introducing new Advisory Panel members, garmet labelling
  2. Deep dive – did your worm larvae die over summer?
  3. Upcoming events
  4. Podcasts, eBulletins and surveys

Quick picks

Humpyback: Our team is busy reviewing 70 years of research conducted on humpyback to create better information resources on what we know about the condition. Humpyback is regularly raised by producers on our regional committees, and we know it continues to impact Queensland producers. Get in touch if you want to know more or are having problems with outbreaks. We look forward to bringing you better information on this condition.

Decision time: With pasture growing season coming to a close in Queensland, now’s a good time to check your pasture alongside how many stock it will carry, to ensure it will support them for at least six weeks into when you would expect the next growing season. If you’re looking to get a bit more accurate with your assessment, you might want to check out the Australian Feedbase Monitor, available to all MLA members, or Forage Budgeting. However you do it, planning and making early decisions are key lessons from Queensland sheep producers managing variable seasons.

Why combination is better than rotation? Rotating drenches used to be the go-to in reducing drench resistance but it’s no longer considered best practice. Combination drenches are now considered to have a much greater effect in slowing the development of resistance. Megan Rogers is from our New South Wales counterpart, AWI Extension NSW, and has written an article explaining why this is.  Have a read at wool.com

Introducing our new Advisory Panel members: Introducing two new representatives for the South region – Luke Murphy and Dugal Albeck. Luke is co-principal and stud manager on a property near Goondiwindi, with a keen focus on grazing management, genetics and sustainable management. Dugal’s Nindigully flock is predominantly commercial with a small stud component. He brings previous experience as a sheep husbandry contracting and agent. Both are keen to contribute to the industry they’re passionate about. As we bring in the new, we also farewell outgoing members Karen and Zarettha, with a huge thank you for their contributions – especially Karen who has been the longest standing panel member, offering much wisdom over the years.

Wool garment labelling: Efforts of AWI and other organisations have successfully highlighted concerns with the European Union’s Product Enviornmental Footprint (PEF) methodology for labelling garments with eco-credentials. This system would have rated synthetic fibres better for the environment than natural fibres like wool. AWI is continuing to work with other methodologies to ensure a level playing field for wool garments and other natural fibres. Read more here.

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Deep dive – did your worm larvae die over summer?   

Summer often provides Queensland producers a good chance to have a reduced worm threat on paddocks, so now is a great time to reflect on whether your paddocks would have experienced the right conditions for this to occur.

A few important things to understand about barber’s pole worm life cycles are:

  • When there is insufficient rainfall, less than 15mm, and minimal soil moisture, most eggs will not progress to infective larvae. Barber’s pole eggs will not last on the ground more than five days and scour worm eggs will usually not last more than three weeks, if the conditions are not right for them to hatch.
  • When daily maximum temperatures are over 35o C, 95% of barber’s pole larvae on pasture will die within two months.
  • When daily maximum temperatures exceed 40o C, 90% of barber’s pole larvae will die within three weeks.

If you had paddocks ungrazed by sheep or goats for the right timeframes and temperatures above, your paddocks are well prepared to handle vulnerable animals like lambs and weaners. Unfortunately, the heat won’t kill any worms inside sheep, so if you have continuously grazed paddocks and haven’t tested recently, consider a worm egg count to make sure sheep weren’t continuously re-contaminating the paddock during this time.

In some cases, the weather in Queensland can create a reduced worm threat on paddocks even whilst being grazed by wormy sheep. This might occur when, for example, a period of three weeks with maximum temperatures are over 40o C and no rainfall or moisture mean larvae on the paddock have died and no viable eggs remain. If sheep were removed from the paddock and conditions remained unviable for eggs to hatch for a further three weeks the paddocks would remain low risk for both scour worms and barber’s pole worms.

If you have rain on the horizon this week, however, think about a worm test in 4-6 weeks’ time. Despite hot weather possibly eliminating most eggs and larvae on pasture until now, very recently deposited eggs may now have the right environment to hatch.

Understanding the life cycle of worms can also help with quarantine precautions. If weather has been dry and you do not expect rain within the next week, sheep being quarantine drenched can be let out from quarantine after a couple of days, rather than the recommended five days, as any eggs shed will not progress to larvae.

Find out more at WormBoss or check out Leading Sheep for a reminder on Worm Egg Counting options.

Written by Project Leader and veterinarian Dr Andrea McKenzie.

Upcoming Leading Sheep events

  • POSTPONED due to weather. Leading Sheep Forum, Longreach. Delivered by DPI. New date to be confirmed, find out more here.

Upcoming events

  • 27 March. Succession planning workshop, Roma. Delivered by ConnectAg. Register here.
  • 1 April. Carbon and your ag business – realities, opportunities, risks and guidance, Charters Towers. Delivered by AgForce. Register here.
  • 2 April. AgTech solutions for future farming, webinar. Delivered by MLA. Register here.
  • 3 April. Women in Wool National Conference, Geelong. Register here.
  • 7, 8 & 9 April. Outreach Out West, Quilpie, Eromanga, Noccundra, Thargomindah & Eulo. Delivered by DPI. More information here.
  • 28 April. Carbon EDGE, Goondiwindi. Delivered by MLA and ConnectAg. Register here.
  • 30 April. Future ready workshop, Charleville. Delivered by RCS. Register here.
  • 6-8 May. Business fundamentals, Brisbane. Delivered by RCS. Register here.
  • 6 May. Carbon and your ag business – realities, opportunities, risks and guidance, Boulia. Delivered by AgForce. Register here.
  • 8 May. Carbon and your ag business – realities, opportunities, risks and guidance, Longreach. Delivered by AgForce. Register here.
  • 20 May. Drench resistance and controlling worms this winter, webinar. Delivered by AWI Extension NSW. Register here.
  • 17 June. Sucess with grazing winter crops. Delivered by AWI Extension NSW. Register here.

Save the dates

  • 12 June. Making Maidens Weight Producer Demonstration Site field day, central west. Delivered by DPI. Information to come.
  • 30-31 July. GroWQ Ag Innovation Expo: Talks, Tech, Trade Displays, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. Information to come.
  • 3 October. GroWQ Next Gen Event: Grassroots Growth in the Grazing Industry, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. Information to come.

Podcasts, eBulletins and surveys

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