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For beginning sheep and goat producers, one of the most important management skills to develop is learning how to recognize and manage internal parasites.
Parasites can cause weight loss, poor growth, weakness, anemia, and even death if they are not addressed. One of the most common and economically important parasites affecting sheep and goats in Western North Carolina is the barber-pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). This blood-feeding parasite can cause severe anemia, particularly during warm and humid weather.
Fortunately, producers have a valuable tool available to help identify animals that may need treatment: the FAMACHA scoring system.
What Is FAMACHA?
FAMACHA is a method of evaluating the color of the lower eyelid to help determine whether a sheep or goat is showing signs of anemia.
The system uses a 1-to-5 score:
- 1 – Red: Healthy, good color
- 2 – Red-pink: Generally healthy
- 3 – Pink: Borderline; monitor closely and consider the animal's other risk factors
- 4 – Pink-white: Anemic; treatment is generally indicated
- 5 – White: Severely anemic; immediate attention is needed
The goal is not to automatically deworm every animal in the herd. Instead, FAMACHA can help producers identify individual animals that are showing signs of anemia and may need treatment.
Important: Learn the Proper Technique
Producers should use the official FAMACHA card and become familiar with what each score looks like rather than relying on a photograph or memory.
When checking an animal, gently pull down the lower eyelid and compare the color of the mucous membrane to the FAMACHA card. Try to check animals under similar lighting conditions and avoid making decisions based solely on the color of the eyelid without considering the animal's overall condition.
Look at the Whole Animal
FAMACHA is useful, but it should not be the only thing you look at.
When checking your sheep and goats, watch for:
- Pale or white eyelids
- Weight loss
- Weakness or lethargy
- Poor body condition
- Reduced appetite
- Bottle jaw or swelling under the jaw
- Rough or poor hair/wool coat
- Diarrhea, depending on the parasite involved
- Poor growth in young animals
Bottle jaw, a soft swelling under the jaw, can be associated with severe parasite problems and protein loss, although it can have other causes as well.
A sheep or goat that looks sick should not be ignored simply because its FAMACHA score does not appear severe.
What Should You Do If an Animal Has a High FAMACHA Score?
If an animal has a FAMACHA score of 4 or 5, it is showing significant anemia and needs prompt attention.
Treatment decisions should be made based on the animal's condition, parasite risk, previous treatments, and guidance from your veterinarian or Extension livestock specialist.
Deworming Medications
Dewormers, or anthelmintics, are an important tool for controlling internal parasites. However, dewormers should not be used routinely on every animal in the herd.
Overusing dewormers can create resistance, meaning the parasites become less susceptible to the medication. This is already a significant concern for sheep and goat producers.
Producers should:
- Work with their veterinarian or livestock agent when developing a parasite-control program.
- Use the correct product and dosage.
- Dose based on the animal's actual weight whenever possible.
- Follow the product label and withdrawal requirements.
- Avoid repeatedly using the same dewormer class without a management plan.
- Monitor animals after treatment.
- Consider fecal egg counts to help evaluate parasite burdens and treatment effectiveness.
Do not guess at the dosage. Giving too little medication can contribute to treatment failure and resistance, while inappropriate use can create animal health and food-safety concerns.
What About Pumpkins as a Natural Dewormer?
You may have heard that feeding pumpkins or pumpkin seeds can naturally deworm sheep and goats.
Pumpkins can certainly be a useful seasonal feed or treat for livestock when introduced appropriately, but there is not enough reliable evidence to recommend pumpkins or pumpkin seeds as a replacement for an effective parasite-control program or proven deworming medication.
Pumpkins should not be used as the primary treatment for an animal that is severely anemic or showing signs of a heavy parasite burden.
If you want to feed pumpkins to your livestock, they can be incorporated as part of the animal's overall diet, but producers should still rely on proven parasite-management practices to control barber-pole worm.
Don't Forget About Fecal Egg Counts
A fecal egg count can provide additional information about the parasite burden in your flock or herd.
Fecal testing can help producers:
- Identify whether parasites are present
- Monitor parasite levels
- Evaluate whether a deworming treatment worked
- Detect potential dewormer resistance
- Make more informed treatment decisions
Fecal egg counts and FAMACHA scoring work well together. FAMACHA tells you about the animal's level of anemia, while a fecal egg count can provide information about parasite eggs being shed in the feces.
Prevention Is Better Than Constant Treatment
Good parasite management is not simply about finding a sick animal and giving it a dewormer. Pasture and herd management are critical parts of the long-term solution.
Consider these practices:
Avoid Overgrazing
Parasite larvae are concentrated closer to the ground. Keeping sheep and goats from grazing pastures extremely short can help reduce parasite exposure.
Practice Rotational or Managed Grazing
Allowing pastures adequate recovery time can help reduce parasite exposure and improve forage utilization. However, simply rotating animals on a calendar schedule does not automatically eliminate parasites. Timing, weather, stocking density, and pasture conditions all matter.
Avoid Overstocking
More animals on the same acreage can increase pasture contamination and parasite exposure.
Provide Good Nutrition
Animals receiving adequate nutrition are generally better able to cope with parasite challenges. Make sure sheep and goats have access to appropriate forage, minerals, clean water, and adequate nutrition for their stage of production.
Pay Particular Attention to Young and High-Risk Animals
Young animals and animals under nutritional or reproductive stress may be more susceptible to the effects of parasites. Monitor these groups carefully.
A Simple Routine for Beginning Producers
If you are new to sheep or goats, establish a regular routine for checking your animals.
1. Watch the herd- Look for animals that are losing weight, acting weak, separating from the group, or showing other signs of illness.
2. Check FAMACHA scores- Use a current FAMACHA card and proper technique.
3. Look at body condition- Don't rely on eyelid color alone.
4. Identify animals that need attention- Avoid automatically treating the entire herd.
5. Consult your veterinarian or Extension agent when needed.
6. Use dewormers responsibly- Select the appropriate product, calculate the correct dose, and follow the label.
7. Monitor the response to treatment- Animals that do not improve may have another health problem, severe anemia, or parasites that are resistant to the treatment used.
8. Keep records- Record FAMACHA scores, treatments, dates, products used, and other observations. Good records can help you identify problem animals and improve your parasite-management program.
Don't Wait Until Your Animals Are Sick
Internal parasites are one of the most common challenges faced by sheep and goat producers, but good management can greatly reduce their impact.
For beginning producers, learning to recognize the signs of anemia, properly use FAMACHA, monitor body condition, conduct fecal testing, and use dewormers responsibly will give you a much stronger parasite-management program than simply treating animals whenever they look sick.
If you are seeing pale eyelids, bottle jaw, weight loss, weakness, or other signs of a serious parasite problem, don't wait. Contact your veterinarian or local livestock agent for assistance.
Good parasite management is about treating the right animal at the right time—not treating every animal every time. |
