Why Deworm Goats?

---

 Goats are animals that are prone to internal parasites. In parts of the world like the US, the stomach worm-like Haemonchus contortus (name of stomach worm), also known as “Barberpole worm” are the main concern.
This stomach worm will suck the blood of the goats, and if doesn’t get treatment, causes a deficiency of blood and eventually death. The infection of the stomach worm reaches its peak in summer. In cold seasons, the stomach worm causes diarrhoea, ill thrift, and if untreated causes death. Goats are browsers like deer. They want to feed on the top down to guard themselves against the parasites. If the goats are forced to browse grasses then there are chances that the goats may consume the stomach worms.Goats are demanding eaters, and they like the newest and most nutritious plant material, i.e. the new growing grasses closest to the earth where there are worms. The first line of defence against the internal parasites is the usage of the FAMACHA (a method to check the goats for the treatment against the internal parasites) field examination. However, this FAMACHA only handy for anaemia-producing infection. This FAMACHA will provide a method to observe the signs of anaemia (deficiency of blood) in the goats visually. The producers can examine the eye membrane of the goat for the colouration. Red to pink membrane colour indicates a low worm-load. Pink-light pink membranes suggest further testing and de-worming. A whitish membrane means that the goat requires immediate treatment as it is fully loaded with worms.FAMACHA can also point to anaemia that can be a result of liver flukes so that the farmers can take faecal samples from all healthy and infected goats for verification of worm-load. 

 How Often do you worm goats?

The frequency of de-worming depends on the wetness or dryness of the area, population density in the pens and pastures, parturition time, overall health status of the goats, and a host of another thing. The number of goats that an owner can run on a given portion of land is not based on the available plant material but instead on how well the worm-load can be controlled.The de-wormers should be used in minimum numbers of treatment to control the internal parasites. The overuse of the de-wormers will make the parasites resistant to the de-worming. However, a mixture of safe grazing and anthelmintic (de-worming medicines) dose should be used to control the worm’s infection.Wormers should be changed yearly. Extended use of the same de-wormers enhances the development of worm’s resistance to that specific de-wormer. Too frequent de-wormer alternation can result in the development of multiple de-wormer resistance.As worming is unavoidable; therefore, knowing when to worm, increase the efficiency of the wormer and reduces the potential illness among the herd. 

  Best Wormers for Goats

There are three general classes of de-wormers and are Benzimidazoles, imidazothiazoles, and macrolides. The benzimidazoles are most often used for de-worming purposes. It includes wormers like Safeguard, Panacur, Valbazen etc. The imidazothiazoles include the de-wormers like levisol, tramisol etc. The third class of dewormers includes ivomec and moxidectin etc. 

 Safeguard Goat wormer / Pancacur Goat Wormer

The active ingredient of this dewormer is “Fenbendazole.” It comes under the general class benzimidazoles. Fenbendazole is a general de-wormer that works against all the stomach worms, hookworms, whipworms etc. The recommended dose of safeguard goat wormer is 2.3mg/lb (5mg/kg). Under the condition of continued exposure to the internal parasite, retreatment may be required after 4-6 weeks. However, avoid administering in the goats within six days of slaughter. The withdrawal time in milk has not been established and avoids applying to lactating goats. 

 Ivermectin Goat wormer / Ivomec Goat Wormer

Ivermectin de-wormers come under the macrolides that have further two subgroups. i.e. avermectins and milbemycin. The ivermectin is also a general dewormer and has had a wide margin for safety. The ivermectin has two notable distinctions, i.e. efficacy against external parasites and they have persistent activity. However, the resistance tends to be high among the avermectins. The dosage of ivermectin is 0.4 mg/kg orally. 

 Cydectin Goat Wormer

Cydectin also belongs to macrolides dewormers. The cydentin is the only milbemycin in the macrolide dewormers. It is also a broad spectrum anthelminthic that can kill both external as well as the internal parasites. The cydectin goat wormers can kill the ivermectin-resistant worms. However, the infections may develop resistance to cydectin if overused due to its similarity to ivermectin.  The dosage of cydectin is 0.4mg/kg orally for a single dose. The meat withdrawal time for cydectin is 17 days and withdrawal time from milk is eight days. Higher doses of cydectin may require a longer withdrawal time. 

 Prohibit Goat Wormer

This de-wormer contains levamisole. The efficacy of this de-wormer is limited against larvae. This de-wormer has the narrowest margin of safety.  However, it is one of the most useful anthelmintics. 

 Valbazen Goat Wormer

 Valbazen is a broad spectrum dewormer that contains albendazole as an active ingredient. This de-wormer is good against the liver flukes. The dosage of valbazen is 20mg/kg orally.

However, it is not a safe de-wormer during the 1st trimester of pregnancy.