Noel O’Dempsey, Linallie, Texas says barbers pole is very active in the east and is likely to build in the west:

South East Queensland - With the rain, humidity etc. has more Barbers Pole than you can poke a stick at (perhaps drench gun) right now.

If you are not regularly monitoring, get out and do so ASAP. Monitor (Worm Egg Count) after drenching to make sure the drench has worked.

Other areas of Queensland: People will have worm problems in their sheep in areas that have not had to drench for years - monitor regularly, otherwise you may get caught out.

Maxine Lyndall-Murphy, WormBuster Lab, Brisbane, offers some advice to ensure you (and your sheep!) don’t get caught by barbers pole worms:

Now that most of the sheep districts in Queensland have received reasonable rains, the threat of serious infections with barber’s pole is imminent.

Be sure to check sheep weekly, if possible.

• Wormtest about every 4 weeks to track the build-up of the worm infections. Test youngest sheep on the property
• Watch for sheep reluctant to move when mustered or keep up with the others
• If closer inspection of the “tail’ group is possible, look for pale colour to the lower inner eyelid and accumulation of fluid under the jaw i.e. bottlejaw
• Check for tall grass confining young sheep. Overcrowding on small areas can lead to quick build-up of worm infections and predispose young animals to coccidial infection. A move away from the contaminated area and onto fresh pasture is important.
• Treat with a multi-active drench! Mixed infections of barber’s pole and black scour are being seen across the sheep regions
• Wormtest the mob 10-14 days after drenching to ensure the drench has in fact killed the worms