Mal’s Equine Worm Egg Counts

23/11/2025

21/11/2025

🐴Should you rotate wormers to stop resistance?

Spoiler: Nope. That old advice has been quietly retired — and for good reason.

Let’s break it down in normal, horse-owner language… not science-jargon 😄

🧡 Why people used to rotate wormers

For years, we were all told:

“Use a different wormer every time so the worms don’t get used to it.”

It sounded logical enough…
Like swapping shampoos so your hair doesn’t “get used to it.”

But worms don’t have hair.
They have genes.
And switching chemicals didn’t confuse them — it trained them.

🐛 What actually happened (the oops moment)

Horses were being treated every 6–8 weeks like clockwork, rotating through:

Benzimidazoles (white paste wormers)
Pyrantel
Ivermectin / Moxidectin

And the worms basically went:

“Oh cool, a new challenge! Let’s evolve!”

So instead of stopping resistance, rotation did the opposite:

➡️ It helped worms become resistant to ALL the wormers.
Faster.

Today:

White paste wormers? Mostly useless.

Pyrantel? Half the time useless.

Even ivermectin and moxidectin are starting to show resistance on some farms.

We ended up with superworms.
Like Marvel villains, but tiny and living in poo.

🧪 Why rotating now makes even less sense

There’s barely anything left to rotate between.
It’s like being told to alternate between three snacks, except two are empty packets and the third one is running low.

Rotating today looks like:

Wormer A: doesn’t work

Wormer B: kind of works

Wormer C: works (but not if we overuse it)

So why rotate?
Exactly.

🌱 The new approach (and it actually works!)

Here’s the modern parasite-control plan — backed by every equine vet and parasitologist worldwide:

⭐ 1. Do a Faecal Egg Count (FEC) first

This tells you if your horse actually needs worming.
Most adult horses don’t need it nearly as often as we think.

⭐ 2. Treat only the horses that need it

Some horses naturally shed lots of eggs.
Some shed hardly any.
Blanket worming = wasted chemicals + more resistance.

⭐ 3. Use the product that still works on YOUR property

A FEC Reduction Test (FECRT) tells you exactly which wormers are effective.
If one doesn’t work — don’t use it again.
Simple.

⭐ 4. Save the good chemicals by using them smartly

The fewer unnecessary wormers we use, the longer they keep working.

🐴 The bottom line

Rotating wormers is old-school advice from decades ago.

✔️ It sounded good
❌ It didn’t work
❌ It helped create resistant worms
✔️ We now know better

Modern parasite control is smarter, cheaper, safer, and WAY better for your horse’s health.

💚 Want help figuring out what works on your horses?

This is literally what I do!

FECs to see who actually needs treating

FECRT testing to find out which wormers still work on your property

No rotation needed — just science

Message me to start the process on 0438 572 887

05/11/2025

🐴 Wild Horses and Worms: What Nature Can Teach Us About Parasite Control

It’s a question that comes up time and time again:

“If wild horses don’t get wormed, how do they manage their parasites?”

It’s a fair question — and one that actually opens the door to understanding why our domestic horses need a different approach. Once you see the difference between life in the wild and life in a paddock, the idea of targeted worm control starts to make a lot of sense.

🌿 Life in the Wild: Nature’s Worm Control System

Wild horses live very differently to our domestic ones.
They cover huge distances every day — grazing, moving on, and rarely returning to the same patch of grass for weeks or even months.

That constant movement is nature’s parasite management plan:
• They leave manure behind. Wild horses don’t re-graze the same dung-covered spots, so they avoid most reinfection.
• Sun, wind, and weather kill off many eggs and larvae before they’re picked up again.
• Dung beetles and birds help break down manure and interrupt parasite life cycles.
• Natural selection plays a role — weaker individuals carrying heavier burdens often don’t survive, meaning stronger genetic resistance persists through the herd.

In short: wild horses live within an ecosystem that constantly breaks the parasite cycle for them. Nature does the heavy lifting.

🏡 Domestic Horses: A Very Different Story

Now picture a paddock here in Tasmania — a few horses, fenced boundaries, and regular grazing throughout the year.

It’s a completely different world from the wild.
In smaller, managed spaces:
• Horses graze close to their own manure, picking up larvae as they go.
• Moist, sheltered conditions keep worm eggs alive and ready for reinfection.
• Limited rotation means the same ground gets grazed repeatedly.

Even the healthiest horse can accumulate a significant worm burden simply because of the environment we’ve created for them. We’ve taken away nature’s parasite-breaking patterns — and replaced them with conditions worms love.

🔬 What Wild Horses Teach Us

Wild horses don’t need chemical wormers because their lifestyle is the control system.
Our domestic horses rely on us to recreate some of that balance — and that’s where strategic worming and faecal egg counts (FECs) come in.

Instead of worming on a fixed calendar, we test first.
We identify which horses are shedding eggs and treat only those who truly need it. This mimics nature’s selective process — protecting both your horses and the future effectiveness of our worming products.

🌾 How to Bring a Bit of “Wild” Into Your Paddocks

Here are some simple ways to reduce parasite pressure naturally:

✅ Pick up manure regularly or harrow during hot, dry conditions.
✅ Rotate grazing — rest paddocks to break reinfection cycles.
✅ Encourage dung beetles — they’re nature’s clean-up crew.
✅ Don’t overstock — more horses per acre means more parasites.
✅ Use FEC testing before worming — target the right horses, at the right time.

Every small change helps shift the balance back toward health and sustainability.

💚 The Take-Home Message

Wild horses don’t get wormed because nature already keeps their parasite levels in check.
Our horses do need help — but that help doesn’t have to mean routine chemical use.

By understanding how nature manages worms, we can take a smarter, more balanced approach that supports both equine wellness and long-term parasite control.

It’s not about going “natural” or “chemical-free.”
It’s about going informed — using testing, observation, and timing to make confident, evidence-based decisions for your horses.

🐴 Smarter Worm Control. Healthier Horses.

If you’d like to begin testing-based worming for your horses or property, get in touch:

📩 [email protected]
🔗malsequine.com.au
🌏 Mal’s Equine – Worm Egg Counts
Local. Reliable. Evidence-based.

22/10/2025

🐴🐄 Mixed Herds & Cross-Grazing

Smarter Grazing for Healthier Horses and Pastures

Cross-grazing is one of nature’s best parasite-control tools — and it works beautifully when managed well. Whether you rotate species through paddocks or run them together, understanding how worms behave can make a big difference to your herd’s health.

🌿 Different Species, Different Worms

Here’s the key: horse worms only infect horses (and other equids like donkeys), while cattle and sheep have their own separate parasites.

So when cows or sheep graze a horse paddock, they’ll eat any horse worm larvae on the grass — but those larvae can’t survive or reproduce inside them. The same happens in reverse.

This makes mixed grazing a natural way to interrupt the worm life cycle and reduce pasture contamination.

🐴 Mixed Herds (Grazing Together)

If your horses, cows, or sheep graze together all the time, you’ll still get some parasite benefits — just not as much as full rotation.

The good bits:
✅ Worm larvae get “diluted” across species
✅ Manure is more evenly spread and broken down
✅ It’s great enrichment for animals that enjoy companionship

What to watch:
⚠️ Horses still drop and pick up their own worm eggs
⚠️ Continuous grazing means no time for larvae to die off
⚠️ Overgrazed pastures concentrate larvae in short grass

To keep things balanced:
Remove manure every few days (or harrow in warm, dry weather)
Avoid overstocking so grass stays above 5 cm
Test each species separately — horse FECs won’t tell you about cattle or sheep

🌾 Rotational Cross-Grazing (Sequential Grazing)

The gold standard is rotating species through paddocks. For example:

Horses ➜ followed by cattle or sheep ➜ then rest.

Cows or sheep “clean up” after the horses by eating worm larvae that can’t infect them. After that, resting the paddock lets sunlight, drying, and time destroy any remaining larvae.

💡 How long to rest:
* Around 3 months is ideal in warm, dry conditions.
* In cool, wet weather (like Tasmanian winters), larvae survive longer — aim for 4 months if possible.
* Always rest long enough for grass to regrow and manure to break down before bringing horses back.

🪱 What Cross-Grazing Doesn’t Control

Cross-grazing is fantastic for reducing strongyle (redworm) and roundworm contamination, but it won’t prevent bots, tapeworms, or pinworms — these have very different life cycles.
Those parasites still need targeted testing and seasonal treatments guided by your FEC results.

🌱 If Resting Isn’t Possible

Not every property has spare paddocks, and that’s okay. You can still protect your horses by focusing on what’s practical:
* Test before you treat. Use FECs to target only horses that actually need worming.
* Keep grass cover up. Most larvae live in the bottom few centimeters of grass.
* Cross-graze where you can — even short rotations between species help.
* Manage manure. Collect or harrow during dry, sunny spells.

Plan smart treatments. In most herds, one well-timed ivermectin or moxidectin-based treatment in autumn, guided by FEC results, is far better than routine dosing.

Even without long rest periods, these habits can significantly reduce infection pressure — and chemical use.

🌤 The Takeaway

You don’t need fancy systems or endless paddocks — just a good understanding of how parasites work. Whether you’re cross-grazing, running mixed herds, or juggling limited space, small, consistent management changes make the biggest difference.

🧪 FEC testing shows exactly how well your grazing plan is working — and helps fine-tune treatment timing for each horse.

👉 Mal’s Equine – Worm Egg Counts
Smart. Strategic. Based on science.

📸 Image credit: Shared with permission from Eventide Sanctuary
— a wonderful local rescue and sanctuary here in Tasmania that provides a safe home for horses, cows, goats, sheep, and many other animals.
If you haven’t already, go check them out and support the incredible work they do. 🌿💚
👉 https://www.eventidesanctuary.com.au/

08/10/2025

🐴 When a Worm Isn’t What It Seems
📍 A real-world Tasmanian case

A client recently messaged me after spotting what looked like a small worm near her pony’s bum — about three weeks after worming. Naturally, she was worried about pinworm (Oxyuris equi).

🪱 About a week earlier (two weeks post-worming), she’d also seen a worm in a fresh dropping.
Then, a week later, both she and a friend saw what looked like a worm at the a**s.

The friend tried to remove it but it broke in half, suggesting it may have already been weakened or dying from treatment — though she thought it was still alive at the time.

When the owner checked herself, the area looked clean, with no creamy or yellow discharge that’s usually left behind after pinworm egg-laying.

So, with one worm found in manure and another possibly alive a week later… it raised an important question 👇
Could some worms be surviving treatment, rather than it being a new infection?

🔬 Why it matters
Pinworms live in the re**um, not the gut, which means they often don’t show up in standard faecal egg counts.
Their eggs are laid externally around the a**s — the sticky yellow or cream residue is what causes that classic tail rubbing.

In recent years, reduced effectiveness of some wormers against pinworm has been reported, including here in Tasmania.
That’s why careful observation and testing are so important before automatically re-treating.

🧪 Confirming Pinworm – The Sticky Tape Test
Because pinworm eggs rarely show in a normal FEC, the best way to confirm infection is with a sticky tape test.

👉 Press a small piece of clear tape gently around the a**s first thing in the morning (before rubbing or passing manure).
👉 Stick it to a clear surface like plastic or fold it back on itself.
👉 I can check it under the microscope for the distinctive pinworm eggs.

It’s quick, non-invasive, and gives clear answers before deciding if more treatment is needed.

💡 Update:
The owner later noticed fresh creamy discharge and tail rubbing on both sides, consistent with active egg-laying by female pinworms.
This confirmed the diagnosis and highlights how pinworms can persist even after recent treatment — a growing issue we’re seeing more often here in Tasmania.

📞 For tailored testing and follow-up, contact Mal’s Equine Worm Egg Counts
Smart. Strategic. Based on Science.
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21/09/2025

🌱 Spring in Tassie = Prime Time for Tapeworms

Because oribatid mites thrive in cool, moist soil and lush grass, this cycle is particularly active when pastures green up after winter — exactly the conditions of a Tasmanian spring. That makes spring (Sept–Nov) a smart window to check for tapeworms.

🐴 What are tapeworms and why they matter

Tapeworms (Anoplocephala perfoliata) live at the ileocaecal junction (where the small intestine meets the large intestine). Even moderate burdens can:
• Erode the gut lining and create local inflammation
• Interfere with normal gut motility
• Be a silent risk factor for colic types such as ileal impaction or spasmodic colic

Signs can be subtle — intermittent belly discomfort, poor doer, or occasional changes in manure — so a proactive test is wise on at-risk properties.

🔬 Testing: why good coprology is the practical first-line

Tapeworm eggs are shed intermittently, so a routine faecal egg count (FEC) can miss them. A tapeworm-sensitive faecal (coprology) test is best when the lab uses:
• Larger sample volumes (more poo = more chance of finding eggs)
• High-density flotation or double-centrifugation (concentrates heavy eggs)
• Experienced microscopy (trained scientists spot the tricky eggs)

This type of coprology gives real-time evidence of active egg shedding — i.e., whether adult tapeworms are contaminating your pasture right now. Antibody/saliva tests can flag exposure in tricky cases (recurrent colic history, very young stock, or when recent worming may suppress eggs), but faecal testing is the most practical front-line choice for many Tasmanian properties.

🩺 If the test is positive
• Treat with a praziquantel-containing product (follow dose-by-weight).
• Re-check the herd or faecal shedding as advised by your vet/lab if needed.
• Review pasture management (rotations, avoid overgrazing, remove droppings where practical) to reduce mite/egg build-up.

🧾 Simple management tips
• Target testing/treatment in spring as part of your seasonal plan.
• Keep records of tests & treatments for trends and smarter decisions next year.
• Combine sensible pasture management with targeted treatment to reduce overall chemical use and help preserve wormer efficacy.

💚 Mal’s Equine – Worm Egg Counts — Smarter, Not Harder.
🧪 Standard FEC: $15 per horse
🧪 Tape test with FEC included: $35
📍 Statewide drop-off points or fast mail-in
📩 DM me or visit my website for more info:
www.malsequine.com.au

13/09/2025

🐴 Recent Case: Why Good Poo-Picking Alone Can’t Beat Worms

A recent case was a great reminder of how complex parasite control can be.

👉 Pony 1 – FEC over 1000 epg and positive tapeworm
👉 Pony 2 – FEC 850 epg and negative tapeworm
Both hadn’t been wormed for around 10 months.

What surprised the owner most?
Even though she picks up every dropping twice a day—every single day— the results were still this high.
She truly expected that level of care to keep worm numbers low.

Poo-picking is one of the best pasture-management tools we have. It dramatically lowers the risk of worm transmission.
But even the most dedicated manure-collector can’t stop every infection. Here’s why:

🔹 Worm larvae can leave droppings within hours and migrate onto the grass, ready to be eaten.
🔹 Larvae can survive for months in cool, moist conditions—especially in Tasmania’s climate.
🔹 Wildlife, run-off, or neighbouring paddocks can reintroduce eggs and larvae.
🔹 Every horse has a unique immune system, so two paddock mates can show very different FEC and tapeworm results.

The take-home?
✔️ Poo-picking is vital, but it can’t replace testing and targeted treatments.
✔️ Routine FEC and tapeworm testing help us decide when and what to treat—preventing overuse of wormers and slowing resistance.
✔️ Strategic worming keeps horses healthier and saves money in the long run.

💡 Regular testing, smart timing, and good pasture hygiene work hand-in-hand.
That’s how we stay one step ahead of parasites—without blanket worming.

09/09/2025

🐴 Let’s Talk Moxidectin 🐴

Moxidectin is one of the most important worming tools we have for horses right now — but it’s also one we need to protect. Why? Because it’s currently the only active ingredient available that can target encysted small redworms (cyathostomes), which are some of the most dangerous parasites horses can carry.

👉 The risk? If moxidectin is used too often, worms can become resistant to it. And once resistance takes hold, we can’t turn back the clock — we lose that tool forever.

That’s why vets and parasitologists recommend keeping moxidectin as a “once-a-year” treatment, ideally in autumn, when the aim is to clear encysted redworm larvae before winter.

Overusing moxidectin (for example, using it every couple of months “just in case”) isn’t making your horse safer — it’s putting the whole horse community at risk by speeding up resistance.

✅ So what can you do?
• Use Faecal Egg Counts (FECs) through the year to check if worming is actually needed.
• Save moxidectin for when it’s really required: once a year in autumn.
• Rotate with other products only when testing shows they’re needed.

By using moxidectin wisely, we protect its effectiveness for the future — for our horses, and everyone else’s too.

06/09/2025

02/09/2025

🌱🐴 Springtime Worming in Tassie – Let’s Talk Tapeworms! 🪱

Ahhh, spring in Tasmania… the grass is growing, the paddocks are greening up, and your horses are busy pretending they’re lawnmowers. But hidden in all that lush green goodness is a sneaky little hitchhiker: the oribatid mite. 🐜

These tiny mites carry tapeworm larvae. Horses munch the mite while grazing (snack with a surprise filling 🤢), and the larvae set up camp in the horse’s gut. Over 6–10 weeks, they grow into adult tapeworms that like to hang out near the ileocaecal junction (the ‘traffic controller’ where small intestine meets large intestine).

Too many of them hanging around = 🚦 traffic jams, irritation, and sometimes even colic. Not cool.

👉 So why do we target tapeworms in late spring (Nov) in Tasmania?
Because by this time, the tapeworms your horse picked up in winter/early spring have matured into adults and are vulnerable to treatment. The cooler, wetter Tassie climate = more mites hanging around longer, so tapeworm transmission here is often higher than in drier parts of Australia.

💉 Treatment (if testing shows a burden, or if you’re managing a high-risk horse like a foal, senior, rescue, or immunocompromised friend) = Praziquantel, usually in combo with ivermectin or oxfendazole (e.g., Equimax, Strategy-T).

✔️ Not every horse needs treating every year, so testing is best (I offer this service 😉). But late spring is the sweet spot if tapeworms are on the menu.

So while you’re enjoying the flowers and the warmer weather, don’t forget about those little gut freeloaders. 🌼🐴 A quick spring check (and treat if needed) will keep your horse’s tummy happy and your pasture healthier.

30/08/2025

🌟 Exciting news!! 🌟
I’m so pleased to share that I now offer a tapeworm-specific test for horses — something that’s been over a year in the making.

🧪 Why test for tapeworms?
Tapeworms (Anoplocephala spp.) are sneaky. Unlike other common horse worms, they don’t shed eggs consistently — which means they’re often missed on a standard worm egg count. Yet, high tapeworm burdens have been linked to colic, weight loss, and gut inflammation. Testing gives you answers before problems arise.

🔬 How this test is different
This method uses a larger sample, extra preparation steps (including centrifugation), and a special flotation solution designed to recover these heavier, less reliably shed eggs. It’s been shaped by dozens of scientific papers and refined with the help of national and international parasitologists, researchers, and FEC specialists.

🌼 When to test
Spring and autumn are the best times, as horses are more likely to be shedding tapeworm eggs during these seasons. Testing every 6 months helps guide the correct use of praziquantel-based drenches — meaning you only treat when it’s needed. That’s less unnecessary chemical use, reduced risk of resistance, and healthier horses long term.

🎯 The smart, strategic, science-based way to manage tapeworms.

💰 $25 per test or Combo (FEC + Tapeworm) – $35
📬 Easy to send your own sample
✅ Interpretation included
📩 Message me

25/08/2025

🌱 Worm Egg Counts – When’s the Best Time? 🌱

I love seeing the samples you all send in — it’s fantastic that so many horse owners are taking the step to check what’s really going on inside their horses. 🐴💚

One thing I’ve noticed is that many samples arrive in the couple of weeks after a wormer has been given. While I’m always happy to test these, the results can be a little misleading because the wormer is still actively working, which can mask what was really there beforehand.

👉 For the clearest picture, the best time to do a worm egg count is before worming. That way, you’ll know whether your horse actually needs treatment — and if you do decide to worm, you can also follow up later to check how well it worked.

So next time you’re planning a treatment, consider popping a test in first. It’s a simple step that can save unnecessary worming, protect your horse’s gut, and help keep wormers working for the long run. 🌟