The Shepherdess

Grace is an entrepreneur, Shepherdess, and rotational grazing enthusiast. This eclectic mix converges here on the Shepherdess Podcast where we talk about regenerative farming for profit, raising Dorper sheep, and daily life as a small-scale, regenerative farmer.

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The Shepherdess

HOW TO OVERCOME SHEEP FARMING'S BIGGEST ENEMY (WORMS 101)

May 05, 2026 • Grace

0:00 | 1:03:10

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Worms are one of the biggest health challenges in shepherding, but with a few tested management strategies, I have found a system that works on my farm. In this episode, I start with the basics of internal parasites, how to spot early symptoms, and the management practices that have made the biggest difference on my farm after losing half my flock in the beginning. You might be surprised to hear my take on chemical dewormers and parasite tolerant sheep. While worms are the biggest enemy to sheep farmers, they don’t have to be the downfall of your operation.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction and preview of content

02:27 Why rotational grazing is foundational to a flock’s health

07:40 Understanding the life cycle of worms

13:12 Signs of infection to look for in your sheep

19:58 The difference between parasite resistance and tolerance

22:17 How rotational grazing breaks the life cycle + other management practices

32:06 When and how to use conventional/chemical dewormers

37:05 Natural strategies for worm management

40:38 The results of my experiment in deworming with lye

46:37 Answering your deworming questions

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