IPM in Sheep and Goats: FAMACHA© Certification From Home

Posted on May 28, 2020May 28, 2020 by truehart

Internal parasites are a major health problem affecting sheep and goats, particularly the blood sucking abomasal parasite, Haemonchus contortus(barber pole worm). This parasite is a major threat because once in the abomasum of the animal, it consumes large amounts of blood causing sickness and death that can hinder production. In addition, this parasite is very difficult to manage. There is data showing that this parasite has shown resistance to all available dewormers in United States and across the world. Local data has demonstrated that there is a high level of resistance to the benzimidazole classes (white drenches) of dewormers and ivermectin in Delaware and surrounding states. Therefore, a more integrated approach is needed to control this parasite. Deworming by the calendar and rotating classes of dewormers are no longer recommended for sheep and goats. Furthermore these out of date management practices are ineffective and contribute to internal parasite resistance issues.

Fecal Egg Counting and FAMACHA© workshop | Delaware State University The Delaware Cooperative Extension Small Ruminant Team is holding a FAMACHA^© certification workshop via Zoom on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. The cost of the workshop is $15.00 to pay for the FAMACHA^© cards and the postage to mail them to producers. Registration is required.

This upcoming workshop is designed to help producers learn the basics of selective internal parasite control and covers topics such as types and kinds of parasites, dewormers, the role of pasture management, the 5 Point Check^©, FAMACHA^© and FEC. Join us as we provide training to certify producers in the use of FAMACHA^© score card and an integrated approach to parasite control in small ruminants.

To register visit: https://www.pcsreg.com/learn-integrated-parasite-control-and-get-certified-in-famacha Once registered you will receive an email link to access the Zoom training. After completing the webinar, producers will be required to pass a short web based quiz and submit a short video clip demonstrating their proficiency in the FAMCHA^© push-pull-pop eyelid technique in order to complete their certification requirements. For questions please contact a member of the Delaware Cooperative Extension Small Ruminant Team- Susan Garey truehart@udel.edu , Dr. Kwame Matthews, PhD kmatthews@desu.edu or Dan Severson severson@udel.edu

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. If you have special needs that need to be accommodated, please contact the office two weeks prior to the event.

Scrapie 101 for Sheep and Goat Producers

Posted on August 11, 2015 by truehart 4 Comments

Scrapie. A word in the sheep and goat industry that is well known by many, but is truly understood by few. Scrapie is defined as a fatal, degenerative, neurological disease that affects a sheep or goat’s central nervous system. Scientifically, scrapie is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or TSE, which is closely related to BSE or Mad Cow disease. The disease itself was first spotted in the United States in 1947 but has been recognized since 1732. Since then, it rapidly spread across the globe, causing massive damage to the sheep and goat industry as a whole. However, with increased awareness and improved management techniques over the years, countries began eradicating the disease from their flocks. Both New Zealand and Australia have successfully eradicated scrapie from their flocks, with the United States attempting to become the third scrapie free country. With scrapie costing the United States sheep industry ten to twenty million dollars annually, it is critical for each breeder to do his or her part in helping the country become scrapie free. In order to eradicate this disease, it is important to understand and become educated on the causes, signs, and prevention of scrapie.

Although still being further investigated by scientist and researchers, an agent that is smaller than a virus and linked to the prion protein is the cause of scrapie. The scrapie agent causes the normal cellular prion protein to become abnormal, causing the cell to grow and replicates at an alarming rate. Scrapie is also highly contagious and can travel from sheep to sheep fairly quickly. Scrapie can be transmitted via bodily fluids of the infected animals, most commonly from an infected ewe or doe to her offspring through the afterbirth or milk. An animal’s genetic make-up also plays an important role in the susceptibility to contracting scrapie with certain DNA characteristics and breeds, such as Suffolk and Hampshire, having higher risks for contracting the disease.

In order to proper defend a flock from scrapie, it is important to be able to recognize an infected animal as soon as possible. Initially, an animal infected with scrapie may appear healthy since scrapie does not begin to take its toll on the animal for two to five years. Scrapie causes several signs and symptoms that can vary animal to animal and can also vary in severity. An animal with scrapie may experience weight loss, behavior changes, tremors, sensitivity to sound or light, or itchiness. More obvious signs include: wool pulling, biting of limbs, hopping on rear legs, inability to stand, or even death. It is critical to be able to recognize these signs and symptoms since a scrapie positive sheep should be immediately removed from the flock to prevent further contamination.

Angora goat with scrapie

Sheep with scrapie at the University of Idaho

Currently there is no treatment, for the disease is ultimately fatal to any animal that is infected. However, scrapie can be prevented if the proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of the flock. Scrapie is known to have a heat resistant quality and be resistant to standard cleaning practices, making it somewhat difficult to eradicate once present on farm. Regular cleaning of the ground and fences with strong bleach or lye has been proven to kill scrapie. It is also important to ensure that the birthing area is clean, has fresh bedding, and is free of afterbirth. By eliminating places for the scrapie disease organism to lie dormant, the risk of scrapie becomes substantially lower. Another prevention method is to verify that those selling sheep or goats are part of the scrapie certification program and to ensure any sheep bought have proper scrapie tag identification. Throughout the country, each state has taken different precautions to make sure that any scrapie outbreaks can be quickly traced back to the flock of origin and stopped as soon as possible.

In Delaware specifically, all sheep and goats require an official ear tag prior to moving off the premises of origin in order to trace the animal should it contract scrapie. Scrapie tags are thin, usually white, ear tags that include an animal number along with a unique scrapie number specific to a producer’s farm and the US shield. These tags can be easily acquired at any time by calling 1-866-USDA-TAG at no cost to the animal owner and the tags never expire. The National Scrapie Eradication Program will also send those that order scrapie tags a free applicator, making the process easier for producers and eliminating excuses for not following the program.

Example of an official scrapie ID tag. Courtesy of Premiere.

Example of an official scrapie ID tag. Courtesy of Premier. No endorsement intended.

Many times sheep and goats are often bought and sold to various producers around the country for breeding purposes with can cause some confusion on proper scrapie tag management. If buying sheep or goats with a scrapie tags already in place, then the buyer should leave the original tag in and not replace it with their own. All sheep must have a scrapie tags in place before being sold initially, with the responsibility of this falling on the breeders to perform this action. Finally, scrapie tags should never be shared since they include a number that is specific to one individual producer or farm and would cause confusion should an outbreak occur.

Guest Blog by Hunter Murray, Extension Scholar 2015. Hunter is a lifelong sheep breeder and can be reached at hmurray@udel.edu.

Resources:

FAQ about the scrapie program. USDA. Web. 11 Aug. 2015

Scrapie. Colorado State University Extension. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.

Scrapie fact sheet. National Scrapie Education Initiative. Web. 11 Aug. 2015

IPM Workshop

Posted on June 30, 2014 by severson

Smart Drenching and FAMACHA
What: Integrated Training for Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Small Ruminants
When: Saturday, August 16, 2014
Where: University of DE, Webb Farm
508 S. Chapel St., Newark, DE
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25.00 – Paid at time of registration

Mark your Calendar and call 831-2506 to register by Friday, July 25th.
During the all day workshop, participants will learn about gastrointestinal parasites that are presenting problems in small ruminants (goats and sheep), anthelmintic resistance and practices to manage parasite loads. The morning session will serve as an introduction for the afternoon hands-on training which will allow participants to get certified on the use of FAMACHA© score card and learn how to conduct fecal egg counts.
Due to the complexity of this program it has been limited to the first 15 people who register. To register or request more information, please call our office at (302)831-2506. If you have special needs in accessing this program, please call the office two weeks in advance.
Thank you and see you there. Dan Severson, Susan Garey,

9:00 – 9:30 AM Registration
9:30 – 10:15 AM Parasites in General
10:15 – 10:45 AM Break
10:45 – 12:00 AM FAMACHA and Parasite Control
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 PM FAMACHA Hands-On
2:00 – 3:00 PM Fecal Egg Counts
3:00 – 4:00 PM Open Discussion and Evaluations

Papaya for Parasites

Posted on June 20, 2014 by severson 3 Comments

Information from UF/IFAS News

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — One of the world’s fastest growing agricultural industries, goat farming, is plagued by deadly intestinal parasites, particularly the barber’s pole worm – a pest that poses great danger to the goat-farming industry in the Southeastern U.S. and other parts of the world.

Improper use of commercial medicines has helped make the parasites resistant to many deworming drugs.

But recent research by the University of Florida’s Animal Sciences department may be closing in on a solution. Although researchers say it needs more study, they’ve recently found papaya seeds to be an inexpensive, alternative method for ridding goats of their parasitic passengers.

Led by Adegbola Adesogan, a professor of ruminant nutrition, the study examined the effect of natural food supplements on reducing intestinal worms in goats. Papaya seeds were found to be the most effective treatment, significantly reducing parasite egg and adult counts.

“The beauty of using papaya seeds is they’re out there and we aren’t really doing much with them,” Adesogan said. “To find just grinding the seeds and feeding a small quantity daily purges the parasites is, I think, very encouraging.”

The study, part of a master’s thesis by Miguel Zarate under Adesogan’s supervision, compared supplementary lespedeza hay, peanut hay, mucuna seed and papaya seeds in varied proportions for their deworming properties. Just 10 grams of ground papaya seed added to a base diet of bahiagrass removed 78 percent of adult parasites and 72 percent of their eggs. The next most effective treatment, a half-and-half mixture of lespedeza and bahiagrass, reduced the adult worm count by 52 percent.

The use of papaya seeds or their derivatives may also be useful someday for treating parasites in cattle and other species, but more experiments must be done to look at issues like residues, tissues and other possible side effects before it is recommended for widespread use, Adesogan said.

“I would say that this is very promising,” he said, “but we’re still in early days and we need to do more work to develop it and to answer these questions of side effects and withdrawal times and safety.”

Adesogan said high concentrations of certain enzymes, alkaloids and cyanates were the likely candidates for the papaya seeds’ success but the specific active ingredient is yet to be confirmed. The amount of protein supplied by the papaya seeds was low in relation to the other supplements and probably had limited effect.

While UF/IFAS scientists aren’t ready yet to endorse papaya seed-supplemented diets for goats, the study indicated that at least two weeks would be needed to effectively reduce parasite populations in infected individuals.

The papaya has a wide growth habitat in tropical countries and some subtropical areas like south Florida. In his native Nigeria, Adesogan said, as in many tropical developing nations, papaya trees are everywhere in the wild and in residential areas.

“You don’t have to rely on expensive equipment to process the seeds, because with just a small traditional grinding stone, farmers could grind the small quantity for their animals,” Adesogan said. “This would be a locally available, homegrown kind of remedy to solve this big problem.”