This presentation was originally given at the Annual Meeting of the Bucks-Montgomery County Wool Pool in Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania, on March 30, 2007.

FAMACHA © for the control of Haemonchus contortus in small ruminants SUSAN SCHOENIAN Sheep and Goat Specialist W. MD Research & Education Center Maryland Cooperative Extension

Fact #1 Gastro-intestinal parasites, A.K.A. Worms, are the primary health problem affecting sheep and goats in warm, moist climates.

fAct #2 THE BARBER POLE WORM IS THE PARASITE OF PRIMARY CONCERN. It Costs. It kills.

Haemonchus contortus Common names: barber pole, wire worm, large stomach worm. Blood-sucking roundworm that pierces the mucosa of the abomasum, causing blood and protein loss to the host. It needs warm (60°F), moist conditions to complete its life cycle. Pasture is the primary mode of transmission. –It is estimated that 80% of the worm larvae is found in the first two inches of grazing vegetation. Young animals and highly stressed adults are most vulnerable to its effects.

the barber pole worm Can Be difficult to control. 1)It has a short life cycle.  On average 2 to 3 weeks  As short as 7 days 2)It has a direct life cycle. No intermediate host is required.

the barber pole worm CAN be difficult to control. 3)It is a prolific egg producer. It has been estimated that 20% of the flock is responsible for 80% of the egg output. 4)It is very adaptable. It can go into a hypobiotic (arrested) state in the animal to survive poor environmental conditions. It can survive on pasture for a long time.  60 days pasture rest is needed to reduce pasture contamination to a low level.  Some larvae survive over winter. It has become resistant to most anthelmintics.

symptoms of Barber Pole worm infection Dead Loss of body condition Ill thrift Not scours  Anemia (pale mucous membranes)  Edema – “bottle jaw” accumulation of fluid under jaw

What about The other parasites?  “Cousins” of the barber pole worm cause digestive problems, e.g. scouring –Ostertagia spp. –Trichostrongylus spp. –Nematodirus Tapeworms Only worm that is visible in the feces. Lungworms Difficult to detect in live animal  Coccidia Protozoa, major disease issue in small ruminants  Meningeal worm parasite of white tail deer, causes neurological symptoms  The FAMACHA © system is not useful for any of these other parasites.

fAct #3 worms have become resistant* to most of the anthelmintics. Only 3 drug families!  Benzimidazoles  Levamisoles  Macrolytic Lactones * Anthelmintic treatment fails to reduce worm egg count by 90%. Severe resistance exists when anthelmintic reduces egg count by less than 60%

Fact #4 Regular deworming of every member of the flock is not A SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE.  Monthly deworming  Deworm every month  Deworm before breeding, before lambing, before shows, etc.  Deworm because you haven’t done it lately.  Deworm because you’re handling the sheep for another reason.  Deworm to prevent problems.  Deworm everybody, all the time.  Deworming to get rid of all the worms.  Deworm because you’re a good manager.  Selective deworming

Fact #5 Nowadays, worm control requires a more integrated approach. Integrated Parasite Management (IPM)  Pasture rest/rotation  Safe pastures  Multi-species grazing  Management of grazing height  Alternative forages and treatments  Nutritional supplementation  Zero grazing  Within and between breed selection  Fecal egg analysis  Proper anthelmintic use  Selective deworming

What is FAMACHA © ? A novel system for monitoring barber pole worm infection in small ruminants. Developed in South Africa due to the widespread emergence of drug resistant worms. Originally developed for South African sheep, but has been validated for sheep and goats in the United States. Named for its originator Dr. Francois “FAffa” MAlan CHArt

What is FAMACHA © ? A color eye chart for evaluating clinical anemia in sheep and goats.  Anemia is the primary symptom of barber pole worm infection. FAMACHA © enables the selective deworming of clinically parasitized animals, while leaving healthy animals untreated.

The FAMACHA © System for assessing anemia and barber pole worm infection in small ruminants Clinical Category Color PCV (hematocrit) Deworming recommendation 1Red> 28No 2Red-Pink23-27No 3Pink18-22? 4Pink-White13-17Yes 5White< 12Yes sheep goats

What FAMACHA © does  Reduces the number of animals that are dewormed (though some animals may need treated more often). 1)Saves you money on drugs 2)Reduces chemical/drug use 3)Reduces selection for drug resistant worms, by increasing refugia: worms not exposed to drug(s).  Prolongs effectiveness of anthelmintics.

What FAMACHA © does  Identifies susceptible and resistant animals in the flock (parasite resistance is moderately heritable).  Assists with selection and culling decisions.  Adds value to breeding stock Keep Sell Cull Keep Sell Cull

For FAMACHA © to work… Always use the card. Don’t use a copy of the card. Replace the card every year (colors fade). Check often enough (e.g. every 2-3 weeks during the “worm” season). Have an easy way to handle your animals.  Test for drug resistance. You must know if an anthelmintic is effective!

What FAMACHA © doesn’t Do 1)Eliminate the need for other parasite control practices. 2)Save you time.  You may deworm less frequently, but you’ll spend more time checking your animals. 3)Help with other potential parasite problems  Other GI worms  Coccidia  Etc. FAMACHA© is not a magic bullet. It is another tool.

Using Famacha© to control parasites in lambs and goats grazing summer pastures Western Maryland Research & Education Center 2005  84 Katahdin and Katahdin crossbred lambs from a sire comparison study (Suffolk, Texel, and Dorper sires).  ~7 lambs/acre Kiko, Boer, and Boer x Kiko male kids from the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test. 3-5 goats/acre

26.2% 41.7% 16.7% 7.1% 4.8% 1.2% % Lambs/ No. times treated 2005 Lamb Study July 11

# goats% of goats# treatments Goat Study Aug 4

How do I get a FAMACHA © Card? FAMACHA is distributed under the auspices of the South African Veterinary Association. U.S. distribution is made through the SCSRPC via the laboratory of Dr. Ray Kaplan (University of Georgia) FAMACHA cards are only to be sold directly to veterinarians. Producers are required to take an approved training in order to receive a card. Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (SCSRPC)

Questions, Comments, Disagreements? Thank you.

Are you done yet? I wanna go home.