Rams are reasonably tolerant to worms providing they are on good feed. They are not subjected to a great deal of stress, apart from joining.

Younger rams can sometimes become wormy and develop quite high worm egg counts. They should be managed similarly to weaners and hoggets. It is important to ensure that nutrition is good.

Rams are often drenched at regular intervals, which in most cases is not appropriate. Generally rams are run in a special paddock for most of the year.

Sometimes part of the ram paddock is irrigated to provide green feed over summer and autumn.

Congregation of rams on this green area can cause worm burdens to rapidly increase and under these conditions they should have regular worm egg counts.

Strategic monitoring of worm egg counts at least before and after joining is recommended.

You should try to ensure that they do not go back into the ram paddock after joining carrying a significant worm burden that could increase.

It is important that introduced rams should be subjected to quarantine procedures because some studs drench very regularly, giving a greater potential for drench resistance to develop.

They should be drenched on arrival and kept for 1-2 days in the yards or a small holding area where other sheep will not be grazed for several months.