Helen A. Swartz, Michael Martin &
Arlene Stewart
Lincoln University-9-08


The number one problem in the sheep and goat industry in the hot summer months is stomach barberpole worms (Haemonchus contortus)

Two breeds of sheep and one breed of goat (Boer cross) were used in this study

KATAHDIN, DORSET & BOER
GOATS

Katahdin hair sheep in Missouri are the largest number in the national registry

Dorset sheep are popular with sheep producers as they breed out of season and will lamb in the fall & the spring

Boer meat goats were introduced into the
US in 1993 and little research has been reported to date

KATAHDIN LAMBS-
Little data on hair sheep lambs on dewormers & herbs


Data collected on lambs using herbs

BOER GOAT
Kid goats fed herbs as dewormer


1) There are only three families of dewormers on the market even though they may have many different trade names

2) When the worms become resistant to a dewormer, it is no longer effective in killing the stomach worms

Missouri is reported ranking 9 th place in the US in sheep production
The number of meat goats is growing each year in Missouri
The number of dairy goats is increasing as
Amish & Mennonites are selling goat milk in Arkansas & Wisconsin


Chemical dewormers are the conventional approach to deworming sheep & goats

Reports in the literature have shown resistance of stomach worms for several years using the chemical dewormers in sheep & goats (Kohler
& Herzberg, 2005)



1) Wormwood (Artemesia sp.) is used by humans in Africa to control stomach worms (list research found)
2) A study was found in Africa deworming
Nubian dairy goats with wormwood
(Artemesia herba alba) where wormwood was found effective in killing the stomach worms in goat
(Idris, et al. (1982)

There were 16 Katahdin hair sheep lambs divided into three groups
Group 1-Received Ivomec commercial dewormer (avermectin)
Group 2-Received herbs (Wormwood,
(Artemesia absinthium), 40.5%, fennel, gentian, psyllium and quassia (equally divided)
Group 3—Control group received no treatment


There were 9 Dorset lambs divided into three groups
Group 1-Received Ivomec
Group 2-Received herbs fed in the feed once a week
Group 3-Control group received no treatment

METHODS & MATERIALS-cont.
There were 16 Boer goat kids divided into three groups
Group 1 -Received Ivomec-commercial dewormer
Group 2 –Received herbal treatment
Group 3-Control group received no treatment

All lambs & kids were fed the same ration of grain, soybean meal, vitamins & minerals to meet the NRC requirements
During the day, the lambs and kids grazed the pastures of fescue cool season grass

Blood was drawn for measuring packed cell volume (hematocrits) in all individuals with the three groups every 30 days
Fecal samples were collected at the same time and processed to determine the number of eggs produced by the barberpole worms

Blood samples were spun down to determine the percentage of red blood cells in each animal-hematocrit
Fecal eggs counts-Modified McMaster method
1)
Collected feces with disposable gloves
2)
3)
Mixed 3 grams of feces in 15 ml of saturated salt water
Mixed with 10 ml. of flotation solution
4)
Counted all eggs in two chambers

2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
3000
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fecal Eggs Per Gram-Ivomec ivomec epg lambs/kids
June July August sam ples
September October katahdins dorsets boers

RESULTS & DISCUSSION-Ivomec

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Katahdin was in August

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Dorset was in
September

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Boer goat was in August

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1800
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fecal Eggs Count Per Gram- Herbs herbal lambs/kids epg katahdins dorsets boers
June July August sam ples
September October

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-
Herbs




The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Katahdin was in August
The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Dorset was in August
The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Boer goat was in August
The barberpole stomach worm is a hot weather worm that kills sheep and goats

1500
1000
500
0
3000
2500
2000
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-
Fecal Eggs Per Gram-Control Group controls lambs/kids epg
3500 katahdins dorsets boers
June July August sam ples
September October

RESULTS AND DISCUSSON-
Control Groups

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Katahdin was in August

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Dorset was in
September

The highest peak in the fecal egg count in the Boer goat was in July

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Katahdin-Ivomec animal # breed treatment
6026
6103
1
1
1
1 fec1
0
0
6058
6090
1
1
1 1000
1 0 fec2
0
1100
300
450 fec 3
400
3100
1100
5050 fec4
100
0
650
50 fec5
100
50
100
550
250 462.5
2412.5
200 200

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Katahdin-Herb animal #
6003
6023
6034
6035
6050
6064
6100 breed treatment June
1
1
1
2
2
2 100
0
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
0
50
300
50
July August
600
650
250
800
3100
1100
600
100
50
1400
1300
2800
650
400
0
500
150
0
Sept
250
450
300
550
0
700
250
Oct
400
1000
100
1450 235.71
428.57
71.43
521.43

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Katahdin-Control animal #
6014
6030
6049
6065 breed treatment
1 3
1
1
1
3
3
3 fec1
200
0
100
1250 fec2
2550
300
2400
2150 fec 3
2300
300
2850
1550 fec4
3200
200
150
50 fec5
350
1000
1050
400
6043 1 3 50 1100 1850
320 1700 1770 900 700

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Dorset-Ivomec animal # breed treatment fec1
6009
6031
6040
2
2
2 fec2 fec 3
1 700
1 0
500 1850
1 300 1300
500
0
750 fec4
2650
2300
3550 fec5
0
300
350
333.33
766.67
866.67
2833.33
216.67

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Dorset-Herb animal # breed treatment fec1
6010 2 2 200
6021
6051
2
2
2 100
2 150 fec2
1800 fec 3
1150
1950
950
2350
1300 fec4
400
2550
100 fec5
250
200
50
150 1566.67
1600 1016.67
166.67

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Dorset-Control animal # breed treatment fec1
6052 2 3 0
6048
6101
2
2
3 350
3 550 fec2
2200
900
5200 fec 3
1500
500
1500 fec4
4100
2950
2100 fec5
550
300
1250
300 2766.67
1166.67
3050 700

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Boer goat-Ivomec animal #
7607
7613
7626
7639
7660
7696 breed treatment
3
3
1
1
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1 fec1
0
0
0
0
0
0 fec2
350
400
500
1600
350
1000 fec 3
0
600
800
2300
250
600 fec4
200
800
450
750
0
500 fec5
850
350
350
400
350
100
0 700 758.33
450 400

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Boer goat-Herb animal #
7608
7631
7633
7640
7649 breed treatment
3 2
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2 fec1
0
0
100
0
0 fec2
950
1100
600
800
200 fec 3
0
50
1400
650
750 fec4
50
0
350
450
50 fec5
3100
500
450
1650
450
7612 3 2 0 800
16.67
741.67
2100
825 180 1230

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-fecal egg count number
Boer goat-Control animal #
7617
7627
7629
7638 breed treatment
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3 fec1
0
0
50
50 fec2
800
1200
100
2900 fec 3
1100
100
250
200 fec4
700
250
100
1050 fec5
1500
450
600
1150
25 1250 412.5
525 925

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Red blood cell count-Hematocrits

Barberpole worms (Haemonchus
contortus) in sheep and goats are blood sucking worms that cause severe anemia and death

Hematocrits measure the percentage of red blood cells in sheep and goats as an indicator of the number of barberpole worms

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Red Blood Cell Count-hematocrits ivomec
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
Ju ne
Ju ly
A ug us t time
S ep te m be r katahdins dorsets boers

herbs
38
36
34
32
30
28
Ju ne
Ju ly
A ug us t time
S ep te m be r katahdins dorsets boers

controls
38
36
34
32
30
28
Ju ne
Ju ly
A ug us t time
S ep te m be r kahadin dorsets boers


All three breed groups, Katahdin,
Dorset and Boer goats had red blood cell counts above the threatening level of anemia regardless of count

All breeds were above 25% RBCs throughout the experiment with the lower counts found in the hotter months


The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) for comparisons of ivomec, herbal, and control groups treatments between the three breeds in fecal egg count, 3 X 3 factorial

Results of treatment differences in FEC statistically reported (P<.0001)

The lowest counts in FEC was found in the
Boer goats


Statistical differences were reported in breed x month (P<.0002) in the fecal egg counts comparing the three breeds

Statistical differences were reported in fecal egg counts in months throughout the treatments (P<.0001)

Statistical differences were reported in
FEC in breed differences (P<.005)

STATISTICAL DATA
Hematocrits-RBC

The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) for comparisons of herbal, ivomec and control groups treatments between the three breeds in hematocrits-RBC

Results of breed differences in RBC statistically reported (P<.0001)

The lowest percentage in RBC was found in the Boer goats which may be a breed difference

STATISTICAL DATA-cont.
Hematocrits-RBC

Statistical differences were reported in breed x month (P<.001) in the RBC percentage comparing the three breeds

Statistical differences were reported in
RBC percentage in months throughout the treatments (P<.0003)

Statistical differences were reported in
RBC in breed differences (P<.0004)


Results were found in fecal egg counts in months with the highest in July and
August (P<.0001), breed (P<.005), treatment (P<.004) and breed x month
(P<.0002)

Results in RBC’s were the lowest in August of breed (P<.0004), month (P<.0003) and breed x month of (P<.001)


This data is preliminary and shows that the barberpole worm is a hot weather worm capable of killing lambs and kids from sucking blood in the abomasum (true stomach)

More research needs to be conducted with a larger sample size prior to publishing in a refereed journal, however the data follows adults in the three breeds


Artho, R., Schnyder, M., Kohler, P.R. and Hertzberg, H. (2006)
Avermectin-resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes of Boer goats and Dorper sheep in Switzerland. Veterinary Parasitology (In
Press)

Idris, U.M E1 A.A, Adam, S.E.I. and G. Tartour (1982)
Anthelmintic efficacy of Artemisia herba-alba against Haemonchus contortus infection in goats. National Institute of Animal Health
Quarterly, Japan, 22(3); 138-143

Iqbal, Z., Lateef, M., Asraf, M. and A. Jabbar (2004) Anthelmintic activity of Artemisia brevifolia in sheep, Journal of
Ethnopharmacology 93(2-3): 265-268