Raising Sheep
  • Home
    • Sheep Pictures
    • Sheep Books
  • Getting Started
    • What Is a Female Sheep Called
    • What Do Sheep Eat
    • How Many Sheep Per Acre
    • Business Plan for Sheep Farming
    • Raising Sheep: Getting Prepared
    • The 4-H Sheep Project >
      • Lamb Buying Guide
      • How to Halter Break a Lamb
      • Market Lamb Equipment List
      • Washing Sheep for Showing
      • How to Show Sheep
    • Breed Selection
    • Sheep vs Goat
    • Wether Sheep
  • Sheep Breeds
    • Meat Breeds >
      • Cheviot
      • Dorset
      • Hampshire
      • Montadale
      • North County Cheviot
      • Oxford
      • Shropshire
      • Southdown
      • Suffolk
      • Texel
      • Blue Texel
      • Tunis
    • Fine Wool Breeds >
      • American Cormo
      • Booroola Merino
      • Debouillet
      • Delaine-Merino
      • Rambouillet
    • Dual Purpose Breeds >
      • American Miniature Brecknock
      • Columbia
      • Corriedale
      • East Friesian
      • Finnsheep
      • Panama
      • Polypay
      • Targhee
    • Long Wool Breeds >
      • Border Leicester
      • Coopworth
      • Cotswold
      • Lincoln
      • Perendale
      • Romney
      • Wensleydale
    • Hair Breeds >
      • American Blackbelly
      • Barbados Blackbelly
      • California Red
      • Dorper
      • Katahdin
      • Mouflon
      • Romanov
      • Royal White Sheep
      • St. Croix
    • Minor Breeds >
      • Black Welsh Mountain
      • Blueface Leicester
      • California Variegated Mutant
      • Clun Forest
      • Gulf Coast
      • Icelandic
      • Jacob
      • Karakul
      • Navajo-Churro
      • Scottish Blackface
      • Shetland
      • Wiltshire Horn
      • Ouessant
  • Working with Wool
    • Raising Sheep For Wool
    • The Art of Spinning Wool
    • How to Spin Wool & Make Wool Clothing
    • How to Set Up and Use a Spinning Wheel
  • Flock Management
    • Sheep Gestation Calculator and Table
    • Sheep Fencing >
      • Sheep Predators
    • Sheep Lambing
    • Tagging Sheep Ears
    • Sheep Tail Docking
    • Sheep Housing
    • Sheep Breeding Season
    • How to Trim Sheep Hooves
    • Shearing Sheep >
      • Maintaining Sheep Shears
    • Raising Sheep for Show
    • Sheep Herding Dogs
  • Sheep Diseases
    • White Muscle Disease
    • Overeating Disease
    • Foot Rot
  • Guides

Sheep Wormer Guide

1/2/2019

4 Comments

 

Best Wormer for Sheep: Sheep Drench & Dewormers

Best Wormer for Sheep: Sheep Drench & Dewormers Reviewed
If you're searching for the best wormer for sheep, you're not alone. There are so many different sheep drench and dewormer products on the market today, that it can be confusing. Deciding what product to use, when to use it, and what the proper dosage is for worming sheep will be important for any shepherd.

​In this article we'll cover:
  • Why you need to deworm your sheep,
  • What products are available (and what types of sheep worms each drench will treat),
  • A suggested schedule for deworming your sheep flock,
  • A helpful chart with proper dosage for all major types of sheep worming products,
  • And we will provide links to some of the most popular and effective sheep wormer medications on the market, so you can stock up on the best sheep wormer products for your farm.

In a Rush?  To Save Time Here Are Our Top Sheep Dewormer Picks

Just here for some quick product recommendations? A few of our favorite sheep wormer medications, available on Amazon:
  • Ivermectin Sheep Drench
  • Cydectin Oral Sheep Drench
  • Safe-Guard Dewormer Paste
  • Panacur Dewormer Paste

And Our Favorite Sheep Drench Guns:
  • Ardes 20ml Syringe
  • Vet & Farm Drench Gun
Best Sheep Wormer Picks

Why Worming Your Sheep is Important

Treating  your flock with deworming medication (whether that's liquid sheep drench, or a tube of deworming paste), is a critical part of effective flock management. When sheep have internal parasites like worms, not only can they quickly lose weight and fail to thrive, but they will also pass these parasites to every other animal in your flock, which can result in poor production across the board, along with serious health effects for individual animals.

In addition to deworming your sheep on a regular schedule, it's also important to use different products, as most of the sheep wormer medications sold will only kill certain varieties of internal parasites which may effect your flock, allowing others to thrive within your animals. Most shepherds alternate medication between two brands and types of medication, so that they are consistently killing every type of internal parasite which may be afflicting their stock.
The Importance of Deworming Sheep

Sheep Drench vs. Sheep Wormer Tubes

The best way to deworm your sheep flock is to administer oral medication. This either comes in liquid form which you can administer with a syringe or drench gun, or you can purchase disposable tubes of sheep dewormer paste.

Drench Guns
Using a drench gun, and buying sheep wormer medication in bulk is generally the cheaper choice, and it can make administering the medicine much faster (a big plus if you have a larger flock). Drench guns come either as a hand-held syringe that you can use to dose each sheep properly, or you can purchase a larger sheep drench gun which will have a tube that feeds directly from your jug of dewormer. This set-up is ideal for large flocks which you run through a sheep handling system -- you can set the dosage once, and every squeeze of the trigger will administer your dewormer to the next sheep in line.

Sheep Wormer Tubes
If you have a small flock, or don't want to mess with a drench gun, then purchasing your deworming medication in tubes is the way to go. Each tube has a graduated dosage ring, so you can set it for the proper dose for each animal and administer the medication orally. These are essentially disposable drench guns. The paste (usually white) makes it pretty easy to see if all or part of the medication was ingested by the sheep as well. When you finish with a tube, you can just toss it in the garbage. They keep well, so you can order a large batch of deworming tubes, so you always have plenty on hand.
Recommended Drench Guns
Recommended DeWormer Paste Tubes

Sheep Deworming Schedule

As I mentioned earlier, an important part of deworming your flock effectively is administering more than one type of wormer medication, as most of the chemicals used in these treatments are ineffective against some worms and internal parasite strains. Additionally, lambs are especially susceptible to internal parasites (particularly tapeworms), so a more aggressive de-worming regimen should be followed to ensure that your lambs thrive. 

Deworming Lambs

Deworming Lambs
Begin worming your lambs when they are about 8 weeks old, and continue monthly (or at the very least bi-monthly) until they reach a year in age. Ivomec and Cydectin are recommended for lambs, and Valbazen should be used to treat tapeworms. If you are raising lambs for market, be sure to note the meat withdrawal time for each medication (included in the chart below).
Shop Ivomec Drench on Amazon

Deworming Adult Sheep

Deworming Adult Sheep
Deworm your ewes 2-4 weeks before they lamb to ensure that parasites are not passed to the lambs. Rumatel is the only approved drug to use in lactating animals, so it's important not to worm ewes with anything else while they are nursing. NEVER use Valbazen during the first trimester of pregnancy. Adult sheep should be wormed 2-4 times a year, more frequently if you notice your flock is thin or if you are not using an effective rotational grazing plan. I recommend rotating Ivomec with Safeguard or Cydectin. A once-annual treatment with Valbazen for tapeworms is also a good idea.

The Importance of Worming Lambs for Roundworms and Tapeworms

It's important to note that lambs thrive, and gain weight most rapidly when they are treated on-schedule for both roundworms and tapeworms. The chart below documents weight gain during an 8-week trial of 300 lambs.

One group of lambs was untreated, one group was treated only for roundworms, and the third group was treated for both roundworm and tapeworm infestation. As you can see, there is a clear advantage to worming your lambs, and for treating lambs for both roundworm and tapeworm load. Sheep food is expensive - make sure you're feeding your lambs and not their worm load!
Lamb Weight Gain Study: Deworming for Roundworms & Tapeworms
Source: Virbac Animal Health

Sheep Worming Dosage Chart

Each of the sheep de-worming medications discussed in this article has a unique dosage amount which is appropriate for sheep. They also each have a different meat withdrawal time (the number of days which must pass after deworming before slaughtering the sheep for human consumption).

The short chart below gives some information which can be quickly referenced for Valbazen, SafeGuard, Ivomec, and Cydectin sheep deworming medication. Consult your individual medication directions prior to use, as the chemical concentration of your sheep wormer may vary from the standard. If you have questions be sure to call your veterinarian.
Note: 1 ml = 1 cc Valbazen
(albendazole)
SafeGuard
(fenbendazole)
Ivomec
(ivermectin)
Cydectin
(moxidectin)
Meat Withdrawal Time 7 Days 6 Days 11 Days 14 Days
Standard Dosage 0.75 ml / 25 lb 0.6 ml / 25 lb 2.9 ml / 25 lb 2.3 ml / 25 lb
25 Pound Sheep 0.75 ml 0.6 ml 2.9 ml 2.3 ml
50 Pound Sheep 1.5 ml 1.1 ml 5.7 ml 4.5 ml
75 Pound Sheep 2.3 ml 1.7 ml 8.5 ml 6.8 ml
100 Pound Sheep 3.0 ml 2.2 ml 11.4 ml 9.1 ml
125 Pound Sheep 3.8 ml 2.8 ml 14.2 ml 11.4 ml
150 Pound Sheep 4.5 ml 3.1 ml 16.0 ml 13.6 ml
Source: American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control
*Important Notes
  • Valbazen dosage above assumes a 11.36% suspension. DO NOT use in pregnant ewes during the first trimester.
  • Safe-Guard / Panacur dosage above assumes a 10% suspension. SafeGuard is not approved for use in sheep, but it is effective and many shepherds use it regularly as long as the appropriate dosage is followed. Personally, I've never had a problem using it, and it's a product I prefer to use in tandem with Ivomec.
  • Ivomec dosage above assumes a 0.08% suspension.
  • Cydectin dosage above assumes a 1 mg/ml suspension.

Best Sheep Deworming Products and What Type of Parasites They Treat

Ivomec Sheep Drench

Ivermectin Sheep DrenchIvermectin Sheep Drench
Ivomec (ivermectin) sheep drench is the preferred and primary product used to deworm sheep by most shepherds. It treats adult and fourth-stage larvae of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, and all larval stages of nasal bots. It is FDA approved, and typically is sold in a 0.08% solution (refer to dosage chart above). While it is typically cheapest to purchase this sheep worming medication as a drench to administer with a syringe or drench gun, paste tubes are also available.
Buy 1 Liter
Ivomec Sheep Drench (1L)
Buy 8 Ounces
Ivermectin Sheep Drench (8 oz.)
Buy Paste Tubes
Zimecterin Gold DeWorming Paste (check dosage)
*Note dosage differs from standard 0.08% - adjust your dosage appropriately and don't simply go by weight indications on tube.

Cydectin Oral Drench for Sheep

Cydectin for SheepCydectin for Sheep

Buy 1 Liter
Cydectin is an excellent de-worming medication which relies on the chemical moxidectin to kill internal parasites affecting your sheep. It successfully kills the following internal parasites in both the adult and larval stage 4 forms: Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Teladorsagia trifurcata, Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Cooperia Curticei, Cooperia oncophora, Oesophagostomum columbianum, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Nematodirus battus, Nematodirus filicollis, Nematodirus spathiger. 
While Cydectin does not treat tapeworms, it will successfully decimate roundworm load found in the stomach and intestinal tract of your sheep. It's very effective, similar to Ivomec, though it tends to be slightly more expensive.

SafeGuard for Sheep

Safeguard for Sheep

Buy Tubes
While Safe-Guard (fenbendazole) is not approved for use in sheep, it is a product that many shepherds have used safely, when the proper dosage is adhered to (see above). Safe-Guard is effective at killing both small and large pinworms (strongyles) in sheep, which is why it is often incorporated in a deworming schedule to complement the protection provided by Ivomec or Cydectin.

Panacur for Sheep

Panacur for Sheep
Panacur (fenbendazole) is an alternative to Safe-Guard, and is generally the exact same deworming medication and is often sold in the same suspension/concentration. It can be dosed the same way to treat large strongyles and small strongyles (pinworms) in sheep, and is generally purchased in tubes of paste.

Buy Panacur Tubes

Other Sheep Wormer Medications

Beyond these 4 popular sheep dewormers, Valbazen (albendazole) is a popular option for the treatment of tapeworms in sheep, and Prohibit (levamisole hydrochloride) is another popular dewormer drench which is a cost-effective way of treating roundworms in the stomach and instestinal tract of sheep. It comes as a powder which you can mix with the appropriate amount of water to make your own sheep drench.
Valbazen for Sheep
Prohibit Soluble Drench Powder for Sheep

Is there a "Best Wormer for Sheep?"

Sheep Wormer Guide: Choosing the Best Wormer for Sheep Flocks
There are so many different types of internal parasites which can affect your flock, that there isn't really a one-size-fits-all treatment that will provide complete coverage. The most important step is to educate yourself (you've come to the right place for that!), and to use a rotating regimen of sheep dewormer products to provide your flock with effective coverage, allowing them to grow and thrive.

Finally, I'd like to reiterate that it's important when worming your sheep flock to be aware of the age and management stage of each animal before administering medication. While lambs are susceptible to worm-loads and will thrive when properly wormed, you do have to take care not to over-treat with these chemicals ... follow the proper dosage and treatment schedule (outlined above) to avoid doing more harm than good. The same goes for pregnant and lactating ewes -- avoid de-worming in the first trimester of pregnancy and during lactation (deworming pregnant ewes about a month before delivery, and after weaning their lambs is the safest practice). 

Thank you for reading - I hope that you've found this guide to be enjoyable and if it has been please consider sharing it on your blog, website, or social media channel!

​If you'd like to receive helpful informative articles from time to time, please also consider signing up for our no-spam mailing list!

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Please Join Our Mailing List!

This article was originally published in September, 2017 but has been updated for 2019 to include the latest science and information and the best available sheep de-worming products.
4 Comments
Brian Curwick link
5/26/2018 06:03:32 pm

I just do not understand the ideology of those that claim it is wrong to deworm our flocks or push the use of ineffective moldalities like Apple Vinagar, garlic, diamatious earth, etc. I understand the effectiveness of rotational grazing and how it benifits the fertility of the field and pasture.
I do not understand these ppl that tell us to raise unproductive breeds like most hair breeds or they lie telling their customers that wool breeds of sheep produce lanolin which causes the meat of sheep with wool taste gamey and unpalatable.

Reply
Wendy Martin link
4/23/2020 09:57:19 am

I am a hobby farmer in south/western Missouri. Have a small flock 1 ram and 5 ewes. Now wool, Just a bunch of professional lawn mowers. I am looking forward to being a better sheep mamma through what I can learn on your blog. Thanks for the pointers.

Reply
Keiri Gilmour
1/28/2021 10:53:31 pm

Worming sheep, is a necessity for those with a commercial flock, also Pedigree Breeders.
Rotational grazing is another way, to keep a worm burden down. Although some sheep can become wormer resistant, by using the same product, year in year out ( A rookie mistake). Which this year, I have found in a few of my commercial ewes, I was feeding the worms, instead of my sheep. So not only changing the wormer, every couple of years, and rotational grazing, then your sheep will be happy and healthy. Also get your vet on board, if you do have problems. Then you will save money on feed, and keep your flock nice and healthy, also worm free.

Reply
Carol
2/14/2021 12:08:06 pm

So I bought a big giant tube of Safegaurd horse wormer for my flock of Barbados sheep. They are a pretty small breed... most adults are 75-100 pounds at most. Now how do I measure 1.7 - 2.2 ml, quickly and efficiently and most important accurately? The tube it comes in is for horses mind you! It’s in increments for 500 lbs! I looked at guns for the safegaurd tubes, but here again they are designed for cows and horses. .???? Thank you for any help or advice.
Carol

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Sheep & Farm Blog

    Here you'll find informative, interesting articles about different aspects of agriculture and raising sheep. Please leave a comment and share any articles of interest!


    Join Our Flock
    Newsletter Sign-Up
    Join more than 1,000 other shepherds who love getting our weekly emails!


    Recent Posts

    Best Electric Sheep Shears

    Sheep Shearing Blades Guide

    Best Spinning Wheel for Beginners

    Electric Sheep Netting

    Sheep Wormer Guide

    Livestock Scales for Sheep

    Sheep Shearing Video: How to Shear a Sheep

    Sheep Trimming Stands

    Ram Marking Harness Info.

    Sheep Minerals Guide

    Best Drum Carders

    Largest Sheep Breed in the World

    Sheeps Milk Cheese Information & Facts

    Can You Use Cheap Sheep Halters in the Show Ring?

    5 Sheep Lambing Signs Too Obvious to Miss

    Sheep Facts: What is a Male Sheep Called?

    Sheep Facts: What is a Baby Sheep Called?

    ASI Discusses 2017 Veterinary Feed Directive

    Preparing Sheep Pasture for Winter

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    December 2019
    January 2019
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    November 2014




Questions or comments? Email us at webmaster@raisingsheep.net
Copyright RaisingSheep.net 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Smart Shepherd Blog   |   Lamb Recipes   |   Join our Mailing List
Reviews of Sheep Supplies & Equipment  |  Useful Links

RaisingSheep.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. To learn more you can read our complete advertising policy.