Nils Vellinga schreef op zaterdag 6 maart 2010, 12:35:
> (Bron: www.thehorse.com )
>
Use Worm Biology to Plan Attacks (Not a Calendar)
"It doesn't make any more sense to mow the grass in Minnesota weekly all year 'round than it does to deworm all horses everywhere on a regular schedule," Reinemeyer commented. "We ignore the biology of the worms when we just deworm on a schedule."
So let's look at worm biology to plan our attack. Weather conditions vary widely across just the United States, and so do the activity patterns of worms in different areas.
"Temperatures of 45-85°F are optimal for development of new parasites," he noted. "Below 45°F it's too cold--eggs don't hatch and larvae don't develop, but those that have already made it to the infective stage don't die, either (a "killing frost" might kill plants, but not worms). Above 85°F eggs hatch just fine, but the larvae die quickly."
What this means to horse owners is that their worm control plan needs to focus on the seasons when infective stages are most available on pasture--that's generally autumn and spring in all climates, during winter in the warmer South, and during summer in the cooler North. No deworming is necessary when environmental conditions are unfavorable for parasite transmission.
"Even if horses have high egg counts during that period, relatively few of those eggs can develop into future parasites," explained Reinemeyer. "Therefore, the objectives of parasite control are being accomplished by the climate, and chemical treatment is not required."
Also, consider biology when planning nonmedical control measures. For example, only drag/harrow pastures to break up manure piles when the weather is hot and dry enough to kill the developing parasites. Otherwise, this practice will just spread infective larvae uniformly throughout the pasture so horses will pick them up everywhere they graze. It's also advisable to leave the freshly dragged pasture empty of horses for several weeks to allow the weather to kill the maximum number of parasites that are in infective stages.
> Nils en Olly
> A horse that gets enough to eat will not be injured
> by the cold, nor suffer from it in any way.
Nils en Olly
A horse that gets enough to eat will not be injured
by the cold, nor suffer from it in any way.
Warboel
