Grazing Management for Sheep in Pastoral Region

In this region, grazing management is not routinely used as a preventative strategy to reduce exposure of sheep to worms, as pasture contamination with worm larvae is usually low and the extensive nature of properties makes it almost impossible.

However, under certain conditions, much higher levels of worm contamination on the pasture can occur, resulting in sheep being affected by worms.

These conditions are:

• higher than normal rainfall, especially in successive seasons and years
• flooding causing ground to be waterlogged (resulting in worm eggs hatching despite no rainfall)
• flooding or fires causing sheep to congregate on smaller areas
• tall grass and strong winds causing sheep to congregate in corners of paddocks
• preferential grazing of green pick along the wet areas of bore drains or irrigation channels when there is little other feed in the paddock

When these conditions occur

• WormTest sheep (see When to WormTest and when to drench)
• move sheep from areas where they have congregated as soon as possible