Zolvix resistance and new Barbers Pole vaccine

Zolvix resistance in Queensland Zolvix (Active ingredient: monepantel) resistance in Barbers Pole was first reported a few months ago in a goat herd in New South Wales. Now monepantal resistance has been confirmed from a Haemonchus contortus strain (Barbers Pole) isolated from sheep on a property in south western Queensland and a Trichostrongylus colubriformis (Scour … Read more

Watch out for preg tox and milk fever in your ewes

Pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia are again being seen in Queensland sheep flocks. These nutritional diseases are also known by a large number of other names including lambing sickness and ketosis and milk fever respectively. If your ewes are pregnant, doing it tough and are being fed a minimal ration they may well be coping now.  … Read more

Breech Strike Prevention – an update

The Breech Strike Prevention Update is held every two years by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and as the name suggests updates industry and others on the progress in breech strike prevention. The audience included representatives from the sheep industry, Australia wide, the RSPCA as well as a number of animal welfare/rights groups.  A representative made … Read more

Brucellosis- How to protect your flock

Ovine Brucellosis is an infectious bacterial sheep disease that can affect the reproductive performance of your flock. Rams infected with B.ovis suffer from inflamed reproductive organs (especially the epididymis) impacting semen quality. The main impacts of Ovine Brucellosis include:  Infertility: Infected rams have reduced fertility meaning that if there is a short joining window there … Read more

Worm Egg Counts for Queensland Sheep Producers – the way forward

  Queensland sheep producers understand the importance of: regular Worm Egg Counting (WEC) and monitoring, identifying what specific worms are present, and knowing which drenches are working on your property with regular Drench Resistance testing. With the closure of the Queensland Government Wormbuster Laboratory, there have been many people querying who else provides these services … Read more

Understanding your wool test results

Dear Leading Sheep Member, Understanding your wool test results allows you to get the best price possible for your wool. As members of the Leading Sheep South West Regional Coordinating Committee recently noted, ‘No longer can you afford, if you ever could, to simply harvest and sell your wool. You have to look carefully at … Read more

Pregnancy Scanning and Feeding – it’s time to manage for more lambs

Scanning and feeding – it’s time to manage for more lambs You may be wondering “should I scan my sheep?”. Well, these are some of the things you should think about: Pregnancy scanning is a great management tool to help you improve your profits, particularly if you use the information to manage your flock differently. … Read more

Bad drenching advice can be expensive!

Leading Sheep have been informed that some sheep drench retailers have been recommending drenching sheep every 6 weeks. This is labour intensive, wasteful, expensive, guaranteed to select for increased levels of drench resistance in the worm population resident on your property and if drenches are used for which the worm population is currently resistant, your … Read more

New MerinoSelect Indexes

Many Queensland sheep producers have been lucky enough to attend the recent RamSelect days held at a variety of locations across Queensland including the most recent at Stanthorpe that was largely organised by Leading Sheep South Consultative Committee member Bruce Toms and featured the Dohne breed. If you have not had the opportunity and would … Read more