Information You Might Not Know About-Worms
WORMS...A Life or Death Situation
The number one killer of goats in my option is anemia caused by the Haemonchus contortus also known as the barberpole worm. This parasite lives in the 4th chamber of the goats stomach and lives on blood. The barberpole worm produces up to 6,000 eggs a day and can complete it's life cycle in as little as 3 weeks. Each worm consumes 1 to 5
The number one killer of goats in my option is anemia caused by the Haemonchus contortus also known as the barberpole worm. This parasite lives in the 4th chamber of the goats stomach and lives on blood. The barberpole worm produces up to 6,000 eggs a day and can complete it's life cycle in as little as 3 weeks. Each worm consumes 1 to 5 drops of blood daily which can lead to a goat losing a pint of blood a week with only about 1,000 worms present. This is why checking the FAMACHA score on each goat at least once a week is vital to keeping your goats healthy. This worm is called the "silent killer" because the goat will look and act normal and when symptoms appear its often too late for recovery. We will cover recovery and preventive methods in another section.
Disclaimer: we are not veterinarians and do not claim to be. The practices mentioned are only what works on our farm. Please consult with your veterinarian.
Our Worming Practices
FAMACHA scoring is a life saving method of checking your goats for barberpole worms. To do this method you simply hold the goats head and pull down on the bottom eyelid to check the color of the membrane. In the picture above you will see colors and numbers. a score of 1 or 2 means your goats are good for now. A score of 3, I would wor
FAMACHA scoring is a life saving method of checking your goats for barberpole worms. To do this method you simply hold the goats head and pull down on the bottom eyelid to check the color of the membrane. In the picture above you will see colors and numbers. a score of 1 or 2 means your goats are good for now. A score of 3, I would worm right away and reworm 10 days later. A score of 4, I would definitely worm and repeat in 10 days and maybe give Red Cell for a few days. A score of 5 is critical. I would bring goat into a stall or small pen. Give them plenty of fresh water and hay and small amounts of grain. Keep everything close so they can save their energy. Worm them 3 days in a row and then 10 days after last worming. You will also need to give them doses of Red Cell once a day, Vitamin B Complex 2-3 times a day. Give iron injections for 5 days straight then every other day for 5 more times and then once a week until eyelid color starts to show signs of pinking up. Check for lice and treat if any are found. A score of 5 is never good. Sometimes the goat will make a full recovery, but it takes a long time for new red blood cells to form. Sometimes they seem like their getting better only to relapse and die.
Disclaimer: we are not veterinarians and do not claim to be. The practices mentioned are only what works on our farm. Please consult with your veterinarian.
Wormers we Use
Wormers we Use
There are a lot of wormers on the market, and many are not labeled for goats but work very well. We like to use the following wormers on our farm. I will list the wormer and the doses that we use.
IVERMECTIN: injectable given orally at a dose of 1cc per every 10lbs.
VALBAZEN: liquid given orally at a dose of 1cc per every 10lbs.
MORANTEL TAR
There are a lot of wormers on the market, and many are not labeled for goats but work very well. We like to use the following wormers on our farm. I will list the wormer and the doses that we use.
IVERMECTIN: injectable given orally at a dose of 1cc per every 10lbs.
VALBAZEN: liquid given orally at a dose of 1cc per every 10lbs.
MORANTEL TARTRATE: follow instructions on bag.
PREVENATIVE PRODUCTS:
SWEETLIX MEAT MAKER 16:8 Goat mineral
DISCLAIMER: we are not veterinarians and do not claim to be. The products and practices mentioned are only what works on our farm. Please consult with your veterinarian.