Ovine parasitology

This morning we headed over to Broadford Farm to learn about worming sheep. After having a brief conversation in the barn, we headed out to start the hands-on work. We walked up through the fields (collecting sheep poo on the way for an experiment) and started to herd the sheep. After a lot of running around the fields (especially from Theo), we got the sheep out of the fields and into the yard.

However, some managed to escape down the hill. Eventually, we got most of the sheep into the barn.

After this, we were split into two groups. One group went and gave worming medicine to the ewe's, while the other looked into the technical side; counting the number of eggs in the poo collected earlier.

To worm the sheep, the ewes entered a 'race' were they were held still and we took turns to use the syringe to enter the medicine in the sheep's mouths. After we got through all the ewes, having all experienced the different jobs in the process. Then the groups got to meet the orphaned lambs.

The other group, at this time, were experimenting and testing on the fresh poo we had collected. We mixed it up with water and put the 'solution' in a microscope slide, to be able to see developing worm eggs. This taught us about why we were worming the sheep.

Alice