Parasite Management in Goats Dr. Beth Walker Missouri State University & Dr. Dusty Nagy University of Missouri Columbia

How do I know if I have worms? Do you have goats/ sheep?

How do I know if I have a problem with worms? Do you see animals with clinical signs consistent with worms? Diarrhea? Weight loss? Exercise intolerance? Pale mucus membranes? Peripheral edema (bottle jaw)? Poor rate of gain? What is your death loss in the herd? Do you know why animals die?

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Overview Every parasite is not created equally Infestation  disease Every parasite is not treated the same On ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Internal Parasites Greatest concern among producers $$$$$$ Reproductive losses Death “Prevention rather than cure” A. David Scarfe “Cydectin should be kept in a glass box and labeled “Open only in case of WAR” Dr. David Pugh

Management of Parasites What are our best defenses? 1. Knowing our enemies 2. Knowing our weaknesses 3. Knowing our strengths 4. Proper Management

Factors influencing the potential for parasitism Temperature Humidity Age of host Seasonality and pregnancy status Pasture management system Anthelminthic resistance Differences among dewormers

Temperature Worm eggs hatch between 45 and 100°F Freezing kills worm larvae Worm ova progress to infective larvae in 7-21 days Maturation is faster at higher temperatures

Humidity Larvae are readily destroyed by drying Parasitism is rare in arid climates Pasture contamination is greatly reduced in July and August

Age of host Acquired immunity Young animals more susceptible

Pasture management systems Traditional pasture strategies Multiple small paddocks Strip grazing Strategic (pre-turn-out) deworming Forage harvesting strategies

Pasture management systems Traditional pasture strategies Multiple small paddocks Strip grazing Strategic (pre-turn-out) deworming Forage harvesting strategies

Anthelminthics Available products Resistance Use of fecal examinations Benzimidazole Avermectins Others – levamisole Resistance Use of fecal examinations When? FAMACHA

Control strategies and principals Deworming is most beneficial in neonates Pastures are less contaminated in early spring and mid-summer Strategic deworming will limit pasture contamination Spring deworming limits pasture contamination Pasture rotation will limit exposure to parasite ova

Food for thought What is the single most important tool in small ruminant medicine?

Common Problems Stocking density True number Actual

Common Problems Feed Availability Delivery system

Our Enemies: Major Internal Parasites Haemonchus contortus Coccidia (protozoan) Nematodes (round worms) Cestodes (tapeworms) Trematodes (flukes)

# 1 on the Most Unwanted List: Haemonchus contortus – barber pole worm Major cause of anemia, bottle jaw, death Thrives in warm, humid conditions Larvae will live on short grasses Early to mid-morning Will dry out but can survive until moist conditions return 10,000 adults can kill a sheep or goat

Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus Stopped here. http://ucdnema.ucdavis.edu/imagemap/nemmap/ENT156HTML/E156haemB http://www.ksu.edu/parasitology/625tutorials/index.html

Haemonchus contortus

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Coccidia Generally host specific Symptoms Diarrhea - usually bloody High percentage of young affected High death loss if not treated Rapid death loss if not treated

Coccidiosis 3 weeks-5 months sporadic in older animals

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Treatment for Coccidia Lasalocid (Bovatec) FDA approved Dosage: 20 gm/ton in feed or 90 gm/ton in salt Monensin (Rumensin) Not FDA approved Dosage: 15 gm/ton of feed throughout feeding period Precautions:         May be toxic to sheep Amprolium (Co Rid) Decoquinate Sulfa drugs Nitrofurazone

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasite/life_cycles.html

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Lungworm feed on fluid in the lung can damage lungs such to cause bacterial pneumonia adult lives in lung, eggs laid in lung and coughed up then swallowed and hatch in gut develop and grow and migrate via to lung via lymph

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Whipworms Usually not a problem Slow to develop (3 to 4 month life cycle) Larvae are usually very resistant to environmental conditions Feed on gut contents Symptoms:  Rectal prolapse  Diarrhea Loss of body condition

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Flat worms Control the vector = control the problem Tapeworm feed on gut contents Proglottids (egg containers) - break open and release eggs Eggs eaten by soil mites and hatch in soil mite Goat eat mites on grass larvae develops in intestine Symptoms Diarrhea Straining to defecate Segments in feces

Tapeworm

Tapeworm

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Flat worms Control the vector (SNAIL) = control the problem Liver fluke cause severe damage during migration        - bacteria can invade migration path causing Blacks disease        - Lifecycle - (~4 months) - within the snail Symptoms -  Jaundice Enlarged Painful Abdomen Bottle Jaw Anemia Poor body condition

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasite/life_cycles.html

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Nose Bots

Other Enemies: Common Parasites of Sheep & Goats Lice Flies Stopped

# 2 Our Weaknesses - Poor Management Overgrazing Keep their heads up Poor nutrition Can’t fight parasite infestation without any energy We haven’t been culling Get rid of the goats that harbor worms Some are genetically more prone to infestations We haven’t been smart dewormers Manage correctly to decrease deworming

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Knowledge Research Deworming Programs Chemical Anthelmintics Novel Anthelmintics

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Knowledge Egg counts Spring 500 / gram = treat Fall 200 / gram = treat

McMaster Egg counts Most common technique used Relies on the use of a floatation fluid in which eggs float and heavier debris in feces sinks Common floatation media are various salt solutions including Saturated common salt (NaCl) Sodium nitrate Sugar

McMaster Egg counts Fill each chamber of the counting slide separately going back and refilling the pipette each time.

FAMACHA Based upon the color of the membranes around/near the eye If paler than the skin under your thumbnail, consider deworming http://www.scsrpc.org/

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Deworming Programs “Deworming is the worst way to control parasites” but…. D.G. Pugh Different Strategies Deworm every 3 weeks Cost $$$$$ Time ? Utilizing hosts defenses ? Eventually leads to resistance

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Different Strategies Rotate Dewormers No longer recommended Can cause resistance to multiple dewormers

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Different Strategies Strategic Deworming Immediately prior to or after parturition Do not deworm and immediately turn into clean pasture Hold 12-24 hours Timed Deworming Hold off feed 12 hours – deworm Limit feed additional 12 hours either turn into clean pasture or deworm again Deworm with multiple classes of dewormes at the same time Stopped here.

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Chemical Anthelmintics Benzimidazoles (white) SafeguardTM ValbazenTM Imidazothiazoles (yellow) LevamisoleTM Avermectins (clear/purple) IvermectinTM CidectinTM

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Novel Anthelmintics Diatomaceous earth Cutting edges said to cut the parasites What is it doing to the gut??? “If you mentions DE in New Zealand or Australia, they laugh at you” Dr. Rich Machen TAMU “Feel good stuff” Bill Kruesi-Vermont Sheep farmer and Vet student Some animals may appear healthier but that is probably due to management or minerals in the DE

#3: Our Strengths – Ammunition Novel Anthelmintics Tannins Sericea Lespedeza Chickory Birdsfoot trefoil

#4: Proper Management Manage our… Pastures Species Herd Budget

Browse Forb Goats Sheep Cattle Grass

#4: Proper Management Manage our… Herd

#4: Proper Management Manage our… Budget We are in this to make $ or at least not lose any $, if you aren’t then don’t ruin it for the rest of us We all need to work together

Internal Parasites Do my goats have internal parasites? YES! Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily Are some breeds more prone than others? Yes Are some individual goats within my heard more susceptible to worms than others? Definitely!!! What can I do? Manage Properly and Deworm as Correctly!

Call 1-800-346-9140 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST Monday - Friday National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Funded by USDA Rural Business Cooperative Call 1-800-346-9140 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST Monday - Friday ATTRA is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology, with offices in Montana, California, and Arkansas to better serve you. Linda Coffey, sheep and goat specialist