The warm humid climate of the Southeast is an ideal environment for livestock parasites, which makes raising sheep and goats in this area challenging. Sheep and goat producers want their veterinarians to give them a deworming schedule, including how often to deworm and with what product, and they would like this schedule to work every year in all situations. Unfortunately, with the resistance to dewormers shown by sheep and goat parasites, this is impossible. Although sheep and goats get numerous types of parasites, Haemonchus contortus is the most clinically significant nematode parasite and most important with respect to dewormer resistance. This parasite sucks blood from the animal, leaving it weak and debilitated, and with heavy burdens, sudden death is not uncommon. Unfortunately, the long-term, heavy use of dewormers has led to parasite resistance to these products. That means that on some farms, there are no dewormers left that will effectively eliminate parasites. And with the constant movement of animals from farm to farm, these resistant worms are traveling with the animals and contaminating new farms. So, without effective dewormers, we are left with using alternative measures to control parasites in sheep and goats. Control programs are based on proper management of pastures, maximizing nutrition, and limited, proper use of dewormers. Parasitism is not a deficiency of a dewormer but a pasture problem. The 4 Ps of parasitism are: permanent pasture perpetuates parasitism. Even if stocking rates are suitable for proper forage usage, if sheep and goats are allowed to graze an entire pasture without rotation, deadly infestations of Haemonchus can result. Producers need to get away from dewormer use and move toward management of pastures and better culling practices. Good advice about parasite control cannot be given to producers without knowing about the farm environment and management. A local veterinarian familiar with the farm should be contacted for specific control programs. For more information, go to: Goat Parasites or the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control.

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