This document discusses sustainable worm control strategies for sheep and goats. It recommends implementing "The Big Five" holistic approach: 1) selective treatment targeting the weakest animals, 2) regular fecal egg counts, 3) periodic drug resistance tests, 4) selection of rams, and 5) culling of ewes. Blanket treatments and frequent, unnecessary treatments are to be avoided as they can lead to drug resistance. A targeted approach including monitoring with techniques like FAMACHA scoring, grazing management, and culling is emphasized over reliance on anthelmintic treatments alone.

1. GETTING THINGS RIGHT
FOR WORM CONTROL IN
SHEEP AND GOATS -
Gareth Bath
Professor Emeritus, University of Pretoria
Member, ECSRPC
Webinar 4 March 2016

2. PARASITES -
Love them or loathe them
Is there a balance?

3. The animal host (sheep or goats)
should be the focus

4. THE PROBLEM
• Relying on dosing worked previously
• Led to laziness and bad habits
• Reinforced by sales force pressure
• Long lag period for problems
• “Silver bullet” mentality
• Multiple anthelmintic resistance rampant
• Need changed attitudes, not drugs
• Sustainable, holistic control is complex

5. We’re still unrepentant and
unrehabilitated DRUG ADDICTS!

6. AVOID!
• Blanket treatments
• Frequent treatments
• Dry Season treatments
• Fixed dosing programmes
• Dose all & move immediately
• Estimation of weights
• “Herbs & spices”
• Unproven unregistered “remedies”

7. CAUTION!
• Long-acting remedies
• Combination remedies
• Ultra-wide spectrum drugs
• Generics
• “Specials” on sale
• Same remedy continually
• The latest “best” remedies
• Advice from the seller

8. IMPLEMENT
• Holistic, sustainable management:
THE BIG FIVE
• Targeted selective treatment
FAMACHA, 5 POINT CHECK
• Regular faecal egg counts (FEC)
• Periodic FEC reduction tests
• Selection of rams
• Culling of ewes

9. IMPLEMENT
• Quarantine & treat introduced stock
• Concentrate on lambs & ewes
• Proper grazing programme
• Long pasture rests
• Alternation with cattle etc.
• Use the right pastures (S.L.)
• Avoid hotspots

10. FAMACHA
Solutions must be practical

11. Solutions must cover major internal parasites
Solutions must be practical

15. Don't mix them up!

17. Cull ewes
Select
rams
Nutrition
Other
diseases
Exposure
to worms
1

18. Survival of the fittest

19. Length of
stay
Time of
absence
Alternation
Grazing
pressure
Hot spots
2
Life cycle

20. Type
Height
Slope
Irrigation
AspectSoil type
3
Fertilisation

21. TRIAL 4 Smart man’s lucern: FEC means
Average of means: SL = 3079.5; SL & Natural = 3726.4; Natural = 4584.2 (49 vs 23% difference)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Day 0 Day 8 Day 13 Day 27 Day 48 Day 69 Day 95
FEC
SL Grazing
Mixed Grazing
Natural Grazing

22. Number (%) of sheep treated
TRIAL 4:
Numbers and proportions of sheep
treated per group
GROUP 0 x 1 x 2 x 3 x TOTAL
TREATED
G1 (SL only)
(n = 22)
13 (59.0) 8 (36.3) 1 (4.5) 0 (0) 9 (40.9)
G2 (SL/Veld)
(n = 25)
13 (52.0) 10 (40.0) 2 (8) 0 (0) 12 (48.0)
G3 (Veld only)
(n = 21)
3 (14.2) 12 (57.1) 5 (23.8) 1 (4.7) 18 (85.7)

23. FEC’s
Efficacy
TST
results
Tests
Weather Grazing
4

24. 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
negligible small moderate high severe
RISK TO FLOCK
%
O
F
F
L
O
C
K
P
E
R
C
A
T
E
G
O
R
Y
1 2 3 4 5
FLOCK RISK EVALUATION USING
FAMACHA SCORING

25. Weigh
TST
Read the
label
Target
weakest
Don't buy
on cost
Beware
untested
products
5

26. Faffa Malan
Which drug?

27. SHEEP
 Select rams
 Cull ewes
 Nutrition
 Exposure
 Other Diseases
WORM LOAD
 Grazing period
 Grazing pressure
 Time of absence
 Alternation
 Hot Spots
PASTURES
 Grazing height
 Pasture type
 Slope
 Aspect
 Irrigation
MONITOR
 Dung samples
 Sheep
 Weather
 Grazing
 Drug effects
DRUGS
 Use TST/TT
 Label
 Dose
 Quarantine
 Warnings
2
1
3
4 5“THE BIG FIVE”
WORM CONTROL: ...try to use
them all...

28. MOTTOS TO REMEMBER:
• Stop selecting sissy sheep!
• Leave the best, treat the rest
• Look before you treat
• Mindful managers must measure
• Avoid Farmercologist’s advice
• The solution is not always in a bottle