FOR autumn worming of sheep, here's some advice from Merial Animal Health - check your drugs for the suitability of the job before you buy them, assess the weight of your sheep before you dose them and check your dose gun for accuracy while you're doing it.

Regarding the drugs, farmers should take into consideration the resistance issue surrounding white drenches and make sure there are no resistance problems on the farm before they choose their products, says the firm's head of technical services, Andy Forbes.

Weighing the sheep is essential to determine the accurate dose rate of the drench.

Calibrating the gun accurately and checking its accuracy during the operation is also important.

Mr Forbes adds that if farmers are housing sheep immediately after worming there is no need to use long-acting wormers.