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Talk to your vet about setting up a protocol that is
right for your farm. Monthly Ivomec / Dectomax is NOT enough for long-term
parasite control. Fecal tests are necessary to identify which strain of
parasites you might have and which drugs are appropriate for treatment. We
recommend that you learn how to body score and/or weigh your animals regularly
and watch for loose stools. Do random fecal tests on a regular basis to
catch any issues early. Remember that parasite loads often spike in
periods of extended heavy rains. If the forecast calls for heavy rains,
clean your fields as much as possible before and during the rains to reduce
problems.
In our herd management, we do not routinely worm the
entire herd with Panacur or Albon / Corrid. We do not want to build up
resistance to wormers. Instead, we run frequent fecal tests on any animals
that appear symptomatic with loose stools or declining body condition. We
also run random tests regularly on animals to identify problems. Some
wormers we commonly use are Panacur, Albon, Corrid, Ivomec, Dectomax, Marquis,
and Cydectin.
We recommend learning how to run your own fecal tests
for better parasite control management. For directions, visit
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm#test
http://www.wisc.edu/ansci_repro/101equinelab/parasites/parasite_methods/parasite_detection.html
We also recommend purchasing a book on parasites.
We use Veterinary Parasitology from Useful Llamas at
www.useful-itmes.com
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