Management of roundworms in sheep and goats - KALRO · Management of roundworms in sheep and goats ... • Treat sick animals and all animals when grass has ... • Supplementation

Management of roundworms in sheep and goats

Kenya Agricultural Research InstituteP.O. Box 57811-00200, NAIROBI.

Tel: 254-20-4183301-20, Fax: 254-20-4183344Email: [email protected]

Website: www. kari.org

Compiled by: Mugambi, J.M. Nginyi J.M. and Rugutt, M.K.

For more information contact:

Centre Director, KARI Muguga North

P.O BOX 32 Kikuyu, 00902 Tel: (066) 32106/7, 32000

Fax: (066) 32450E Mail: [email protected]

KARI information brochure series / 26 /2008 Ksh. 20

• Treat sick animals and all animals when grass has

browned in the dry season to prevent chronic

disease.

• Use a drug that will also kill the dormant larvae and

repeat treatment a week into the rains.

• Supplementation with medicated urea molasses

feed blocks will boost nutritional status apart from

enhancing treatment.

Pale eye

Life cycle of round worms

What other management practices can minimise worm infestations?

• If animals are fed indoors, keep them on a slatted

fl oor.

• Construct feed and water troughs on the wall to

avoid contamination.

• Feed animals adequate quantities of quality feed

• De-worm newly purchased animals 48hr before

bringing them into your farm.

• If possible rear animals that are known to be resistant

to worms.

How frequently should animals be treated?

This depends on the climatic and other factors prevailing

in your locality.

Coastal strip and lake regions • Eggs develop to infective larvae very rapidly but high

temperatures kill them within a month.

• Treat all animals just before the rains and at other

times treat sick animals only.

• Tethering and moving animals to new sites every 3-4

days is effective rotation.

Arid and semi-arid areas• During the dry seasons swallowed larvae may

become dormant and resume development when

the rains come.

• Some periods of the year are too dry for larvae to

survive on pasture but watering points and bomas

are areas of high contamination.

• Use correct dose – based either on individual weight

or on weight of the heaviest animal in the fl ock.

• Drench over the tongue for maximum drug

availability especially in the morning before animals

feed.

• In cases of resistance give two full doses at a 12hr

interval.

• Dose goats at 1.5 times the dose of sheep.

What are some of the draw-backs even after

effective treatment?

Stocking rate • More than 5 animals grazed in an acre of pasture

enhance contamination leading to frequent re-

infections.

Ineffective rotation • Pasture rotation is very effective for worm control

since it reduces re-infection.

Communal watering sites and roadside

grazing • These are constant sources of infection

IntroductionRoundworms of sheep and goats live in the stomach,

small and large intestines.

They lay eggs that are passed out in droppings to

develop into effective larvae on pasture.

They depress body weight by 1-3kg for every 10kg.

How to identify animals with worms

• Dullness and loss of appetite

• Scruffy hair coat

• Paleness inside the eyelids – not the normal pink

• A pendulous swelling under the lower jaw – ‘bottle-

jaw’

• Poor body condition

• Diarrhea (This may be absent depending on the

parasite)

• Death in severe cases.

Why effective treatment?

• Effective treatment will contribute to:

• Healthy animals

• Little pasture contamination

• Slow or no development of drug resistance

How to achieve effective treatment

Treat to break the parasites life-cycle.

Parasitic worms

Coastal strip and lake regions Drenching sheep