Why Resistance Is a Growing Problem
Internal parasites, particularly the barber pole worm, are one of the biggest health threats to goats, and routine deworming of the entire herd on a calendar schedule has led to widespread parasite resistance to common dewormers. This has pushed producers toward more targeted approaches that treat only the animals that actually need it.
Using FAMACHA Effectively
The FAMACHA system scores the color of a goat’s inner eyelid on a scale from one to five, since anemia caused by barber pole worm shows up as pale membranes well before other symptoms appear. Producers trained in FAMACHA scoring can identify and deworm only the animals showing signs of anemia, leaving resistant, healthy goats untreated, which slows the development of drug resistance. Combining FAMACHA with pasture rotation and fecal egg counts gives a much more sustainable long-term parasite control program.
