WormBoss Resources

FAMACHA

Goats Sheep

The FAMACHA system The FAMACHA® system is a methodology to slow the development of drench resistance in barber’s pole worms of sheep and goats. It is based on minimising the […]

WormBoss Regional Worm Control Programs for Sheep and Goats: Overview

Goats Sheep

WormBoss has developed a worm control program for each WormBoss region of Australia that will assist you to manage worms profitably and sustainably, for sheep and for goats. Each program […]

Managing Drench Resistance in Sheep – Tasmania

Sheep

Why manage drench resistance? To stay profitable in the long-term, you will need to prolong the effective lives of old and new drench groups by using them well. (Drench groups […]

When to Drench and When to WormTest for Sheep – Tasmania

Sheep

Why check worm burdens in sheep? Checking worm burdens with a WormTest is essential for correct and timely drenching decisions. The result is healthy sheep without unnecessary drenching. WormTests are […]

Grazing management

Sheep

Effective grazing management reduces the exposure of sheep to worms. This involves How are low worm‐risk weaner paddocks prepared? Weaners are the class of sheep most susceptible to worms, especially […]

Introduction

Sheep

What worm control regions are in Tasmania? The Tasmanian high rainfall (prime-­lamb) region This region includes King Island, the North Coast between Wynyard and Launceston. These are the high winter […]

Worm Control Program – Tasmania

Sheep

Program summary The WormBoss worm control program for Tasmania has five components that are most effective when used in combination. Open the complete program (PDF) A summary of the components […]

Online Learning: Tasmania—Sheep Worms

Sheep

This covers the important worms and aspects about them you should know most about. Structured reading For those who like to see all the information and simply read through it […]

Online Learning: Tasmania—Drench Resistance Management

Sheep

This strategy helps to preserve the effectiveness of your drenches for more years. Structured reading For those who like to see all the information and simply read through it in […]

Online Learning: Tasmania—Deciding When to Drench and What Drench to Use

Sheep

This strategy describes when to use strategic drenches and how to decide when tactical/therapeutic drenches are needed. Structured reading For those who like to see all the information and simply […]

Online Learning: Tasmania—Breeding for Worm Resistance

Sheep

This strategy helps your flock to withstand the worms that are present. Structured reading For those who like to see all the information and simply read through it in order. […]

Online Learning: Tasmania—Introduction

Sheep

The introduction gives a summary of the annual control program and describes the worm control regions and worms encountered here. Structured reading For those who like to see all the […]

Learn About Sheep Worm Control in Australia

Sheep

WormBoss Online Learning is FREE Formal training is also now available through: Find the list of ParaBoss certified advisors here What topics are covered? Learn about the important topics that […]

Dairy Goats and Milking Sheep

Goats Sheep

There are very few anthelmintic products registered for dairy goats or milking sheep where milk may be used for human consumption. Many anthelmintic products have label instructions that state “DO […]

Withholding Periods for Worm, Lice and Fly Treatments for Sheep

Sheep

Withholding periods are mandatory with all registered veterinary products used to treat sheep for worms, flies or lice. These periods have been developed to indicate when the chemical residue that […]

Resistance status of drench groups

Goats Sheep

The notes below are a general overview of the drench-resistance of worms to the drench groups listed at November 2012. They are based on reports from parasitologists, worm testing laboratories, […]

Using Refugia to Prolong Drench Life

Goats Sheep

What is refugia? Refugia is simply the Latin term for ‘in refuge’. When managing drench (anthelmintic) resistance, the aim is to avoid all of the population of worms being exposed […]

How Can Drench-Resistant Worms Be Kept Out of Your Property? – Sheep

Sheep

Keeping drench-resistant worms out of your property is part of sustainable worm control. Assume that purchased sheep (and those returning from agistment) are carrying worms with some degree of drench […]

Managing Drench Resistance – Sheep

Sheep

Problem: Drench resistance limits the drench products that you can use, the therapeutic benefits of a drench and the ability to prepare low worm-risk paddocks. Solution: Drench resistance can be […]

Targeted Treatment Drenching Guidelines

Goats Sheep

“Targeted Treatment” involves drenching only a portion of specific mobs at particular times, to slow down the development of drench resistance across a property by having more of the worm […]

Weaners and the First Summer Drench

Goats Sheep

The first summer drench is a strategic drench given to sheep and goats in the winter rainfall areas of Australia. It plays a major role in the preparation of low […]

Strategic Versus Tactical Drenching

Goats Sheep

On this page (click to shortcut to each section): What are strategic and tactical drenches? Strategic drench: a drench given at a critical time to reduce worm larval contamination of […]

Choosing and Using Drenches

Goats Sheep

The WormBoss Drench Decision Guides will provide you with recommendations on when to drench as well as what length protection drench may be required. The specific drench group and/or active […]

Effective Use of Long-Acting Drenches

Sheep

Effective persistent treatments kill immature and adult worms at the time of treatment, as well as infective larvae eaten by animals (with pasture) during the period of protection of the […]

Drench Mixtures and Combinations

Goats Sheep

Some drenches contain more than one anthelmintic ‘active ingredient’ (also simply called an ‘active’), that is, the chemical that is responsible for killing worms. These are often referred to as […]

Drench Rotation Versus Combinations to Combat Drench Resistance

Goats Sheep

Rotation between different drench groups generally does little to slow development of drench resistance and should not be used at the expense of these three highly effective practices: However, there […]

Combination Drenches – Benefits and Efficacy

Goats Sheep

WormBoss recommends using effective drenches and where possible, these should be combinations. So what is a combination drench? This type of drench contains two or more active ingredients that each […]

Drench Groups and Actives – Sheep

Sheep

Drench groups and actives for sheep Paraboss Drench Decision Guide for Sheep Drench groups and actives Worms Examples* of brand names/comments BZ or benzimidazole group (‘white’)Balbendazolefenbendazoleoxfendazole barber’s pole worm, ‘scour […]

Immunity of Sheep to Worm Infection

Sheep

Immunity is the means by which sheep become resistant to worm infection. The immune response by sheep is complex and requires exposure to a sufficient level of infective worm larvae. […]

Understanding WEC and DAG Breeding Values (ASBV, Goat EBV)

Goats Sheep

When breeding for worm resistance, animals are selected for lower WEC ASBV or EBV. Dag ASBV does not affect worm resistance, rather, reducing dag through selection of lower DAG ASBV decreases the […]

Breeding for Worm Resistance – Sheep

Sheep

Problem: Are you finding yourself having to drench too frequently? Are some of your sheep becoming affected by worms more easily than others? Or do you simply need to broaden your […]

Nutrition for Resistance and Resilience to Worms – Sheep

Sheep

Nutrition and the condition of sheep can have a major impact on the resistance and resilience of sheep to worms: Good nutrition and managing the condition of ewes and the […]

How Long Do Larvae Take to Die?

Sheep

A number of the strategies on this page rely on waiting for worm larvae to die (while no further contamination occurs) to achieve a low worm-risk pasture. Worm eggs may […]

Smart Grazing for Weaner Worm Control in Sheep

Sheep

Problem: Weaners are very susceptible to worms during their first winter and pastures at this time often present a very heavy worm challenge resulting in poor growth and illness. Solution: […]

Scour Worm Larvae on Pasture

Sheep

The graph shows the availability of infective larvae of the winter scour worms on pasture throughout the year. The peak occurs around June–August (the exact time of the peak depends […]

Larval Survival of Barber’s Pole Worm

Goats Sheep

Problem: Many producers are unaware how long is required to prepare low worm-risk paddocks, although surveys show most are in favour of using them. Solution: Understanding the few conditions under […]

Factors Contributing to Paddock Contamination with Worms

Goats Sheep

The following table applies to: Factor Time or conditions Effect Minimum time before worm eggs can become infective larvae. 4–10 days Short graze periods (less than 4 days) prevent ‘auto-infection’ […]

Grazing Management – Sheep

Sheep

Problem: Continually high worm burdens in your grazing animals resulting in the need to drench more frequently. Solution: Managing the frequency and intensity with which livestock graze pasture reduces the […]

Preparing Low Worm-Risk Paddocks for Sheep

Sheep

Problem: Continuous recontamination of the paddocks with worm eggs that develop to larvae is a major cause of ongoing worm problems for sheep or goats. Solution: Preparing low worm-risk paddocks […]

Assessing Faecal Consistency Score for Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

The consistency of faeces can bias the results of a worm egg count. The wetter the faeces, the lower will be the worm egg count relative to drier faeces, because […]

Assessing Worm Burdens Without a WormTest – Sheep

Sheep

If you are concerned that your sheep may need drenching now, but are unsure, please go to the Drench Decision Guide for your region. A WormTest or worm egg count […]

Worm Testing for Ram Breeders

Sheep

Commercial sheep breeders, especially in the higher rainfall areas of Australia, increasingly want sheep that better resist parasite burdens. As a result, the number of ram breeders offering rams with […]

Worm Egg Counting for Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Worm egg counting is one of the most useful worm management tools a sheep or goat producer can use. You will also see this test referred to as a WormTest […]

Collecting Dung Samples From Individual Sheep or Goats

Goats Sheep

Why do samples need to be collected directly from the sheep or goat? Individual samples are collected directly from the rectum of each sheep or goat for a DrenchTest or […]

Testing Drench Effectiveness with a DrenchTest

Goats Sheep

A DrenchTest provides sheep and goat producers with the information about which drenches are no longer working effectively due to the worms on their farms having developed resistance. This information […]

Checking for Drench Resistance with a DrenchCheck

Goats Sheep

What is a DrenchCheck? A DrenchCheck provides a simple, fast and low cost indication of possible drench resistance. It is the use of two WormTests—one used before and one after […]

Checking a Mob of Sheep or Goats for Worms With a WormTest

Goats Sheep

What is a WormTest? A WormTest refers to a ‘Worm Egg Count Test’ or ‘WEC test’; it will identify the number of worm eggs in faeces, which is a good […]

Eperythrozoon

Goats Sheep

Eperythrozoonosis (ep-pur-rith-ro-zo-on-osis) is the disease produced by the bacterium Mycoplasma ovis, formerly known as Eperythrozoon ovis. M. ovis inhabits and destroys red blood cells of sheep and goats leading to anaemia, jaundice, and in heavy […]

Itch Mite in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

The itch mite lives on the skin of sheep and goats, causing intense irritation. Sheep or goats rub and scratch, sometimes causing severe fleece and fibre damage. Itch mite is […]

Sarcocystis

Goats Sheep

Sheep and goats are the intermediate hosts for a range of different types of Sarcocystis, a protozoan organism with cats as the final host. Other parasites exist which have a […]

Toxoplasma

Goats Sheep

Sheep, goats and all vertebrates (including humans) are intermediate hosts of Toxoplasma; cats are the final host. It is mostly found in cooler climates. Sheep and goats are infected by […]

Nasal Bot

Goats Sheep

The sheep nasal botfly, Oestrus ovis, is a widespread parasite of sheep and may also infect goats, but it is more of a nuisance than a cause of serious disease. […]

Protozoa

Goats Sheep

Coccidia (Eimeria species), Cryptosporidium and Giardia Coccidia Coccidia are a type of microscopic parasites known as protozoa. The main coccidia that trouble sheep and goats are the Eimeria species, causing […]

Other Occasional Parasites of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Sheep and goats also suffer from parasites other than worms. Fortunately, none of these commonly causes disease, however, they may do so when sheep or goats are held at high […]

Bladder Worm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

This parasite has two names, because the cyst stage was named before it was known to be a stage of the life cycle of Taenia hydatigena. The life cycle has […]

Sheep Measles

Goats Sheep

Sheep measles (Cysticercus ovis) cause condemnation of carcases or parts of carcases at abattoirs, but they rarely cause ill-effects in the sheep or goats. Small white cysts appear in certain […]

Hydatid Tapeworm

Goats Sheep

The hydatid tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus) is a very important parasite as humans can become infected, with serious illness possible. However, humans do not become infected from contact with sheep or […]

Intestinal Tapeworm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

While sheep tapeworms are large and the segments passed in the dung are very obvious, there is no consistent evidence that they cause production loss or ill-health. Therefore, treatment for […]

Tapeworms of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Tapeworms of sheep and goats in Australia can be divided into 2 broad groups: Adult tapeworms that live in the small intestine: Moniezia expansa, the most common tapeworm of sheep […]

Other Nematode Parasites of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Ascaris (large roundworm) is not a normal parasite of sheep and goats. It normally infects pigs but may opportunistically infect sheep or goats in mixed grazing enterprises. Gongylonema (gullet worm) […]

Lungworm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

There are three species of lungworm that occur in sheep or goats in Australia. They are the large lungworm, Dictyocaulus filaria, and the small lungworms, Muellerius capillaris and Protostrongylus rufescens. […]

Stomach Hair Worm of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Stomach hair worm (T. axei) occurs commonly in sheep, goats and other ruminants, often in association with the brown stomach worm (Teladorsagia) but appears to be relatively harmless. This worm […]

Large-Mouthed Bowel Worm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Large-mouthed bowel worm is a large (20 mm) stout white worm. It is found in cool climate areas of southern Australia. The adult female lays around 5000 eggs per day. […]

Whip worm of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

These are white worms 30–60 mm long found in the blind gut (caecum) of the sheep and goats. The anterior part of their body is long and slender, while the […]

Nodule worm and Large Bowel Worm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Two species of Oesophagostomum occur in Australia:  Image: Section of intestine showing nodule worms (Source: Maxine Lyndal-Murphy, Qld Dept of Agriculture and Fisheries) Modern broad-spectrum drenches tend to keep these worms at […]

Threadworm of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

This parasite is rarely a problem, although it is often seen in sheep and goats pastured in south western and tropical coastal Queensland. Threadworm infects the small intestine of sheep, […]

Hookworm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

This parasite is rarely a problem. The hookworm of sheep or goats infects the small intestine. The pre-patent period (the time from infection to appearance of eggs in the dung) […]

Small Intestinal Worms of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Small intestinal worm is mostly found in the cooler parts of Australia. It is 10–15mm long and is found coiled close along the wall of the small intestine. It is […]

Thin-necked Intestinal Worm of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Thin-necked intestinal worm occurs in most of the major sheep and goat production areas of Australia, but is mostly an issue in the winter rainfall districts. It is very resilient […]

Brown Stomach Worm

Goats Sheep

These worms used to be called ‘Osties’ or ‘Osters’, short for Ostertagia. However, the worm was reclassified in the early 1990s, with the genus name changing from Ostertagia to Teladorsagia. […]

Black Scour Worms – Goats and Sheep

Goats Sheep

Black scour worms occur in all sheep and goat production districts of Australia. Trichostrongylus colubriformis and T. vitrinus are the main species that cause disease. T. rugatus is more commonly seen in arid regions while T. axei is […]

Barber’s Pole Worm in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Barber’s pole worm is most commonly found in Queensland and the northern half of NSW where summer rainfall is common or dominant. This worm is less of a problem in […]

Signs of Worms in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

All of the signs below can be associated with diseases other than from worms. If animals with any of the signs below are treated with a known effective drench and […]

Worms on Pasture: Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Factors contributing to paddock contamination with worms The following table applies to: Factor Time or conditions Effect Minimum time before worm eggs can become infective larvae. 4–10 days Short graze […]

Roundworm Life Cycle

Goats Sheep

Most roundworms of sheep and goats share this basic roundworm life cycle. Dung stage Worm eggs that have passed from the sheep in dung hatch and develop through first (L1) […]

The Cost of Roundworms

Goats Sheep

Roundworms cost the sheep and wool industry more than $430 million dollars per year (Lane et al. 2015); up from the $350 million dollars estimated by Sackett et al (2006). […]

Roundworms of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Roundworms (nematodes) are the most important group of internal parasites affecting sheep and goats in Australia. The most important roundworms in sheep and goats in Australia are: Other roundworms found […]

Stomach Flukes of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Stomach flukes (Calicophoron calicophorum and Paramphistomum ichikawai) rarely cause disease in sheep or goats, but do affect yearling cattle when very heavy burdens are present e.g. coastal northern NSW. Stomach […]

Liver Fluke in Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

Introduction Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is a parasite affecting a range of livestock and other species. Final hosts in which it can develop to sexual maturity include livestock such as […]

Flukes of Sheep and Goats

Goats Sheep

There are 2 groups of fluke which can affect sheep and goats:

Smart Grazing to Control Scour Worms in Weaner Sheep – Tasmania

Sheep

Smart grazing to control scour worms in weaner sheep NOTE: The research that led to the development of Smart Grazing was conducted with sheep. The basic principles underlying its benefit for […]