Summer

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Strategic harrowing can fight worms

Chain harrowing pasture immediately after grazing cattle can help to reduce parasite numbers on pasture by exposing the eggs to climatic effects.

A trial in Canterbury was used to test the belief that breaking up dung pats was a good way to reduce the numbers of cattle parasites on a ryegrass/white clover pasture.

Their work found harrowing pastures after cattle grazing to dissipate dung pats can effectively reduce endoparasite numbers on pasture and consequentially endoparasite infection of grazing cattle. This may negate or delay the need for drenching. It may also assist the uniform distribution of plant nutrients from the faecal deposits and reduce patch-grazing.

Earlier, similar research with sheep found similar results.