This strategy describes when to use strategic drenches and how to decide when tactical/therapeutic drenches are needed.

Structured reading

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Tasmania: When to test and when to drench
The times for routine worm testing and drenching in this region. Not all testing or drenching is routine; other times to do these are recommended by the Drench Decision Guide, according to details you provide about your mob of goats.

Tasmania: Drench Decision Guide
This tool recommends whether a mob should be drenched, the length of protection warranted and when to worm test again. It is your day-to-day tool on drenching decisions that should be used in conjunction with the annual program of routine testing and drenching times.

The DDG tool steers you through a series of questions about your goats choose the answer that applies to your mob (or make up your own scenario).

Question and answer

For those who prefer a problem based approach to learning, answer the following questions.
Each of the questions below links further down the page to the answers.

Questions:

1. What is the purpose of a strategic drench?
2. Which classes of goats receive a routine (strategic) drench, and when?
3. The online Drench Decision Guide (DDG) for Tasmania assists you to decide whether a mob of goats should be drenched now and when to test again. Open the DDG and answer the questions it offers based on the scenario (from below) that you are using. Try at least three of the following scenarios.

• Weaners in May that received a combo drench into a prepared winter weaner paddock about a month ago, less than 5% are scouring, an egg count shows 80 epg.
• Weaners in late January that were drenched with Fenbendazole at weaning in early December. There are no signs of scouring and they look healthy.
• Does in November. No drench was required before kidding. About 15% are scouring.
• Does received a first summer BZ/LEV/ML drench in early December, it is now mid-January. Summer has been unusually wet. Does are not scouring but a couple of does were found dead in the paddock and others are lagging during mustering.
• Late-kidding does in good condition just prior to being moved to their kidding paddock. A worm egg count shows 350 epg.
• Kids just about to be weaned, they look well-grown with no obvious signs of worms.

Answers:

You can also click on each question below to go to WormBoss pages with related information.

1. What is the purpose of a strategic drench?

Strategic drench: a drench given at a critical time to goats that are susceptible to worm infection (e.g. weaners and pre-kidding does), and also given at times to reduce worm larval contamination of a pasture that will be grazed by the drenched goats over the following weeks or months. The goats themselves may have had a low worm egg count at the time of this pre-emptive treatment.

2. Which classes of goats receive a routine (strategic) drench, and when?

All goats: weaners, does, bucks, wethers

• A first summer drench in November/December as the pasture is haying off. This drench may coincide with marking or weaning.
• Any animals going onto a fodder crop/perennial pasture to be used as a low worm-risk pasture for young goats in winter.  If this is during preparation: “smart graze” the pasture for up to 30 days only to prevent further contamination with worms.

Kids

• At marking, only if
  • does are scouring and in poor condition (less than condition score 2.5), in which case treat both the does and kids.
  • marking coincides with the first summer drench time.
• At weaning, unless a drench was given at marking, in which case WormTest before weaning and treat if egg count exceeds 200 epg.

Does

• Pre-kidding
• At weaning, unless they:
  • Are does in the high rainfall zone that will stay on perennial pastures.
  • Already received a drench at marking.

In either case, WormTest just prior to weaning or treat these ewes at weaning only if egg counts exceed 200 epg.

Bucks

• At mating, treat with an effective short-acting drench.

In all cases, use a drench known to be effective on your property. Preferably use a short-acting treatment, and where possible, use a multi-active combination or single active drenches can be used sequentially, i.e. up the race with one drench and then up the race with the other. After these drenches, move the goats into prepared low worm-risk paddocks (Drench groups and actives).

If DrenchTest results are not available conduct a DrenchCheck, 14 days after treatment.

3. The online Drench Decision Guide (DDG) for Tasmania assists you to decide whether a mob of goats should be drenched now and when to test again. Open the DDG and answer the questions it offers based on the scenario (from below) that you are using. Try at least three of the following scenarios.

• Weaners in May that received a combo drench into a prepared winter weaner paddock about a month ago, less than 5% are scouring, an egg count shows 80 epg.
• Weaners in late January that were drenched with Fenbendazole at weaning in early December. There are no signs of scouring and they look healthy.
• Does in November. No drench was required before kidding. About 15% are scouring.
• Does received a first summer BZ/LEV/ML drench in early December, it is now mid-January. Summer has been unusually wet. Does are not scouring but a couple of does were found dead in the paddock and others are lagging during mustering.
• Late-kidding does in good condition just prior to being moved to their kidding paddock. A worm egg count shows 350 epg.
• Kids just about to be weaned, they look well-grown with no obvious signs of worms.

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Links to the learning topics for Tasmania

1. Introduction
2. Grazing management
3. Breeding for worm resistance
4. Worm testing
5. Drenching (you are currently on this page)
6. Drench resistance management
7. Goat worms