Wild bighorns have tapeworms

A group of wild Rocky Mountain bighorns have very bad tapeworms in my area.  We are trying to find a sheep salt wormer protein block to set in areas where these sheep winter in hopes they will want the salt and minerals.  These sheep are using domestic salt blocks so should also use any salt mineral block.  Does anyone know what company might have such a thing.  Or a company that would make these blocks with say Valbenzen in them to help these sheep.  Looking for two or more pallets of these blocks.


Please everyone try to help these animals and ask around at your feed dealers.  We have asked all the feed dealers in my area with no success.Thanks.

Safeguard Blocks Maybe??

Try to mix up and make your own. I wouldn't use Valbenzen if they are pregnant. Try mixing the wormer with table salt. Then fill square buckets with water softener pellets. Pour the table salt wormer mix into the voids between the softener pellets. It should set up and harden quickly into a block that can be dumped from the bucket.

I just got out of the hospital tonight and I am on a bunch of meds so this may be a corny idea. Lol

Why not soak the wormer in corn and feed them.

A few things about wild sheep.  They will not eat grain.  I believe Valbenzen is the best wormer out there for killing tape worms.  So eating this would not matter as there is little lamb production.  I watched 32 adult ewe and they only had two lambs.  My guess is the lambs are born with tape worms and die in a few month after born from the abundance of worms in their system.


What I'm going to try tomorrow is calling the sheep salt protein block makers and see if they won't put in Valbenzen.  We are in a hurry because the sheep winter in large groups and this would be a great time to treat them before they go back to the high summer range.  If the DNR will not do this there are some concerned wild sheep people who will.  I have donated 500. for the purchase of these wormer blocks.  After I told the DNR about this problem they did net trap some sheep to confirm what I saw but they are also looking for pneumonia viruses as that is the end result of sheep with a lowered immune system.  I have suggested to start with the worm problem which should help these sheep by producing a better immune system as these sheep would be healthier without these tape worm drawing them down in winter. I'm kinda getting the impression from them that they know more than game farmers but some have showed interest in what I have told them.  Time will tell.

Well I talked to the company that makes sheep protein blocks.  They could make the block but will have to see if the FDA would allow off label use.  I'll bet that will not be allowed. The company has their own sheep herd they check out their products on and do use Valbenzen as they feel it is the best wormer for sheep.  


I guess we are at making our own salt block if we want this done.

I contacted ADM and they would make the wormer blocks with a 5000 order. Gave the information to the F&G of Montana. In a nut shell they said thanks it was something to think about but in the end the answer was no. They were more interested in the virus and type that was killing the sheep. I guess the dead sheep could care less. They could never treat the sheep for pneumonia in the wild so quite frankly I personally could care less what virus was killing the sheep. It isn't about the care of these wild animals it is about job justification in my opinion. As Trump would say so sad.

What a shame

Must be the game farmer in me because we wouldn't let animals suffer with something we could cure so easy. The Fish and Game never cease to amaze me in their stupidity in wild animal handling and care. For instance when they sedate a moose down just to count the winter ticks on them. Some of these moose have many thousands of the ticks on them which does cause the moose to die in winter. Who cares how many ticks are on that moose if your not going to give that animal relief from the ticks. I have asked why when the moose was down don't you give that animal a dose of Ivermic which would kill all the ticks sucking blood. The answer they have given me is we don't want to interfere with nature. My response is you shouldn't have sedated him in the first place causing him stress just for your curiosity on how many ticks are on that animal. Just think how many ticks you would destroy on that moose by giving Ivermic to that moose. You would kill all the ticks on the moose and the future ticks they would have produce in that environment if you would just treat that moose for ticks. Any person would know you should control any predator or parasite for the good of the prey animal if they were killing too many of those prey animals. Sorry just venting as I believe they are suppose to care for wildlife and not let them die from something they could fix..