Smart Use of Goat Dewormer


“Smart Drench”

The most important aspect of using dewormers is to conserve their effectiveness for use in animals that truly need them. This can be achieved by using them as little as possible and only when infection levels dictate that intervention is necessary. The old concepts of treating all animals when only a few show signs, or all animals at regular intervals—shorter than every three to four months—is no longer warranted because it promotes dewormer resistance. Even if new dewormers …

Other Non-Chemical Control Methods


Other Non-Chemical Small Ruminant Parasite Control Methods

  • Mixed/Alternate Livestock Species Grazing
  • Pasture Rotation
  • Copper Oxide Wire Particles
  • Condensed Tannin-Containing Forages
  • Genetic Improvement
  • Nematode-Trapping Fungi
  • Vaccines
  • Integrated Approaches

Mixed/Alternate Livestock Species Grazing

For the most part, each livestock species harbors its own species of parasites. However, sheep and goats share some of the same parasites. Only one worm species, Trichostrongylus axei, affects all livestock species; it is a minor stomach worm usually of little concern. Cattle and goats can be …

Goat Small Intestinal Worms

Trichostrongylus colubriformis (Bankrupt worm)

Trichostrongylus colubriformis is a very small threadlike worm and is the most predominant small intestinal worm. It is found in goats throughout the United States but seems to thrive better under more cool and wet conditions similar to T. circumcincta. However, in the southeastern United States, this worm is the next most common and important after Haemonchus. On some farms it can cause considerable problems. As with Telodorsagia, this worm feeds on nutrients …