Barber’s pole worms (Haemonchus contortus) have been the cause of a lot of goat ill-health, and many goat owners will have suffered losses as a result of this nasty parasite. Adult Haemonchus contortus worms are about 2 to 3 cm long.\u00a0 Their blood-filled intestines spiral from the mouth to the tail end, so the worm can look like a barber’s pole.<\/p>\n
Adult Haemonchus worms live in the abomasum, where they mate.\u00a0 The females lay up to 10,000 eggs a day that pass out onto the pasture in faeces.\u00a0 Larvae hatch from the eggs and migrate up the pasture to be ingested by goats as they graze.\u00a0 In the abomasum, the larvae mature and the adults attach themselves to the lining of the stomach to feed on blood.<\/p>\n
A heavily infected goat can bleed to death within a few days.\u00a0 Mild wet autumn weather and high stocking rates increase the risk of heavy infestations.<\/p>\n
The main signs of infection are weakness and pale membranes.\u00a0 This is because Haemonchus worms live in the true stomach (the abomasum) where they suck blood.\u00a0 When there are many worms this leads to anaemia.\u00a0 There may also be diarrhoea and there may be bottle jaw (a soft swelling) between the mandibles under the jaw.\u00a0 Affected goats will also have lower growth rates and reduced fertility.<\/p>\n
A complicating factor in the treatment and control of barber’s pole worm infestations is that the worms may be resistant to some of the most commonly used worm treatments (anthelmintics.<\/p>\n
The best control strategies involve three components: Use of effective anthelmintics,\u00a0Improved herd and pasture management practices and use of pasture species with anthelmintic properties<\/p>\n
Anthelmintics are widely used to control worms such as Haemonchus.\u00a0 Some anthelmintics have been officially approved for use in goats and this will be indicated in the instructions for use on the packaging.\u00a0 However, some of the ‘approved’ anthelmintics have become ineffective because Haemonchus has become resistant to them.\u00a0 There are other types of anthelmintic that will be effective but they may not have been officially cleared for use in goats.\u00a0 For these reasons it is important to consult your veterinarian to help you select the appropriate anthelmintic to use, the correct dose to give, the route of administration, duration of effect and possible adverse effects.\u00a0 It’s also very important that you note the withdrawal period – ie the length of time that must elapse before you can use meat or milk from the treated goats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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