Teaching Integrated Parasite Management (IPM) to Sheep and Goat Producers

Gastro-intestinal parasites are the single greatest threat to the health and productivity of sheep and goats throughout most of the United States. In the past, control programs relied heavily on the use of anthelmintics, but intensive use of these drugs has led to the development of drugresistant worms. To develop profitable enterprises, sheep and goat producers need to implement more integrated parasite control programs, which rely less on drug therapy. Since 2004, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension has conducted twenty Integrated Parasite Management (IPM) workshops in eight states. The average attendance at these workshops has been 28 producers. The workshops consist of 2 hours of lecture, which includes discussion on all aspects of parasite control, and 2 hours of hands-on training, in which participants learn how to evaluate fecal samples and use the FAMACHA© eye anemia chart to make deworming decisions. Pre- and post-tests indicate a knowledge increase of 30 to 40 percent. Since 2004, 556 sheep and goat producers, extension agents, and youth have been certified in the use of the FAMACHA© system. An additional 451 individuals have attended IPM presentations, where hands-on training was not possible. As a result of the Maryland IPM program, over 200 sheep and goat producers are using the FAMACHA© system to make deworming decisions and reduce their use of anthelmintics. Over 100 producers are utilizing other IPM techniques, such as fecal egg counting, multi-species grazing, and genetic selection, to control internal parasites in their flocks. Cooperative Extension must continue to provide opportunities for sheep and goat producers to learn the FAMACHA© system and other IPM techniques.

This abstract was presented at the Annual meeting of the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science, Orlando, Florida, February 2006.

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