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This article was published in 1956
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INSTITUTE OF INSPECTORS OF STOCK OF N.S.W. YEAR BOOK.

A DRENCHING PROGRAMME FOR SHEEP

Mid-Western Areas of N.S.W.

C. D. GEE, B.V.Sc., Inspector of Stock, Condobolin.

In the Central West of N.S.W. internal parasites have only been recognised as an important cause of loss to the sheep industry over the last few years. Consequently, many sheep owners of the area have only a vague knowledge of ways and means of keeping their sheep free of worms. The usual approach to the problem is to leave the sheep undrenched until the position has become so bad that drenching is an urgent necessity. By this time usually thirty or forty sheep are dead and most of the rest are so weakened that even after they have been freed of worms, they will take some time to recover from the damage inflicted.

C.S.I.R.O. experiments have indicated that a wormy sheep may be expected to grow two pounds less wool than a healthy one. If then, a drenching programme can be worked out using four or five drenches per year at a cost of under two shillings (2/-) per sheep per year, such a programme must be a sound economical proposition.

The programme submitted is considered to be suitable for the Central West in the type of season which has prevailed in the last five years.

It must be understood clearly that the programme as appended has limited application, but it is thought that a schedule along similar lines could be worked out to suit any district in N.S.W.

In areas where Chronic Copper poisoning is a problem, or if in other areas the owner prefers not to use bluestone, all the bluestone-nicotine drenches may be replaced with phenothiazine.

The programme is based not only on accepted scientific facts, but also on the private opinions of the writer. It well may be open to criticism on a number of points. For instance, it will be noted that no provision has been made for follow-up drenching. This is because it is thought better to spread the drenches evenly through the year and thus keep the internal parasites at a fairly uniform level throughout the year.

If, for example, an owner were prepared to give six drenches during the year it would be preferable to give a drench every two months rather than use a follow-up drench a fortnight after each of the three main drenches, and thus have the sheep going without a drench for three and a half months.

The importance of follow-up drenching in an outbreak of parasitic infestation is not questioned.

DRENCHING PROGRAMME (A guide only. In dry years some of the drenches listed may be eliminated; in exceptionally wet seasons one or more additional drenches may be necessary).

NOTES: 1. After drenching, change sheep to paddock spelled from sheep for three (3) weeks.

2. P-Phenothiazine; and B.N.=Bluestone-Nicotine.

	MAY LAMBING	JUNE LAMBING	JULY LAMBING	AUGUST LAMBING	SEPT. LAMBING
JAN.	-	Weaners-P.	-	-	Weaning time - Ewes-B.N. Lambs-P.
FEB.	Weaners-P. All others-B.N.	All except Weaners-B.N.	Weaners-P. All others-B.N.	-	Dry sheep-B.N.
MARCH	Ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	Weaners-P.	-	Weaners-P. All others-B.N.	Weaners-P.
APRIL	Ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	Ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	-	-	-
MAY	All except lambing ewes-P.	All except in-lamb ewes-P.	Dry sheep-P. In-lamb ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	Weaners and dry sheep-P.	All sheep-P.
JUNE	Ewes-P. on completion of lambing.	-	Dry sheep-P. In-lamb ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	Ewes-6 weeks before lambing-P.	-
JULY	All except ewes and lambs-P.	Dry sheep-P.	All except lambing ewes—P.	All others-P.	All except forward ewes (6 weeks)-P.
AUGUST	Lambs-P. (if apparently wormy).	Ewes-P., on completion of lambing.	Ewes-P., on completion of lambing.	-	-
SEPT.	Dry sheep-P.	Dry sheep-P. (Lambs if necessary)	Dry sheep-P. (Lambs if necessary)	Dry sheep-P.	Dry sheep-P.
OCTOBER	Weaning time ewes and lambs-P.	Weaning time ewes and lambs-P.	-	Ewes-P., on completion of lambing. (Lambs if necessary).	Ewes-P., on completion of lambing.
NOV.	Weaning time ewes and lambs-P.	Weaning time ewes and lambs-P.	Weaning time ewes and lambs-P.	-	Lambs-if necessary-P.
DEC.	-	All others-B.N.	All others-B.N.	Dry sheep-B.N. Weaners-P. Ewes-B.N.	Dry sheep-B.N.