Could bigger, faster-growing young ruminants be better equipped to handle incoming worm L3 larvae than smaller, slower growing animals of the same age? Yes, potentially!

In our latest podcast, the second in our four part series all about nutrition and worms, we explore the reasons why fast growing heavier lambs and calves (expressed as a % of mature weight) are potentially more resilient in the face of incoming infective L3 worm larvae.

Practical farm-level strategies to grow young stock faster are discussed. The importance of improved maternal nutrition as a key driver for well grown young stock is covered. Better nutrition of ewes to improve placental development, together with better nutrition during late pregnancy increases lamb birthweight and improves lamb survival. Higher lamb birthweights mean better weaning weights, more prime lambs away off mum, better forward store lambs, and/or lambs finished off farm sooner = fewer drenches per lamb.

Better, faster grown young stock will be one useful ‘tool in the toolkit’ to consider in our on-farm battle against worms. For more information about ruminant nutrition and worms, refer back to Episode 68. Subscribe so that you don't miss out on our next episode, number 70, all to do with nutrition, forage crops and internal parasites!

How might improving the nutrition of young sheep and cattle help with our battle against sheep and cattle internal parasites (worms) that’re resistant to common anthelmintics (drenches)?

Our latest podcast explores ways in which improved nutrition of lambs and calves might reduce our reliance on regular, repeated use of drenches to control worms. This is part 1 of a 4 part miniseries that will explore the role for improved nutrition as a “tool in the toolkit” to consider when you’re dealing with problems of worm resistance on farm. Part 1 covers how and why worm burdens reduce the performance of parasitised lambs and calves. Hear about the importance of dietary protein in helping young stock cope with worm burdens, and the role for high quality forages in helping to keep young stock well. Keep an eye (ear?) out for the next part of this four part series, subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes!

Continuing the dietary protein journey started in Podcast No. 66, our latest podcast picks apart the pros and cons of crude protein (CP) as a proxy for dietary protein. Fantastic as CP is for quickly and easily balancing diets on the basis of CP supply vs. CP demands of ruminants, some limitations of CP mean that sometimes protein nutrition needs a bit more detail than just CP. Metabolisable protein (MP) is introduced and defined in the podcast, and we explore the value of MP vs. CP in a farm-level, down to earth manner.

Will you ever look at CP in the same way ever again after listening to this podcast? Or will you be a “MP convert” from now on? Take a listen and make up your own mind about protein nutrition!