Numerous studies are identifying a pattern goat producers have known for some time: goat parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to virtually every conventional dewormer available on the market today.

Understanding Parasite Resistance in Livestock Management

Extensive research has looked at how parasites respond to the numerous deworming options currently available. See the bibliography below for a more detailed look. With statistics as high as 90% resistance in some parasites and some treatments, we are facing a crisis that needs to be addressed.

The Challenge

Parasite resistance has become a significant issue in livestock management. As common dewormers become less effective, goat owners need to adapt their approach to maintain healthy animals while reducing chemical dependence. In the world of herbal goat care, we’ve been walking this walk for decades but new innovations–such as the mass production of essential oils–have catapulted us forward in the battle.

Practical Solutions

A holistic approach looks at all aspects of management to ensure the whole animal is thriving. This includes developing parasite protocols to help prevent infestations in the first place. At 17 years into breeding goats, I now only extremely rarely need to treat a case and I owe this success to a multi-faceted holistic approach.

Grazing Management

Rotating pastures and using mixed-species grazing naturally reduces parasite loads. When different species graze the same land at different times, they help break parasite life cycles, as most parasites are species-specific. Depending on the layout of your land, you may not need to rotate–I don’t–just ensure they have freedom to move and select their own forages from an abundant offering.

FAMACHA Scoring

Using methods like FAMACHA scoring to assess anemia in sheep and goats helps identify which animals actually need treatment. While not foolproof, this is a fairly accurate gauge of herdwide status and can be used to target treatment for the specific animals that need it. Every goat and sheep owner should spend a few minutes to learn this technique.

Herbal Remedies

Herbs and essential oils are taking the lead in the fight against highly resistant strains of parasites. We see in our groups (The Holistic Goat and The Herbal Goat) stories that go like this, “I’ve tried ____ and ____ dewormers, but my goats kept dying. After 5 days of the essential oil protocol, my goat who was on death’s door is perking up again!” Goats are not only not dying, but going on to make full recoveries. Katrina just shared in a comment yesterday:

“Unfortunately, conventional methods cost me my 2 matron does…but pushed me to learn strictly holistic methods and get efficient at using them…Megan and her fantastic research, help and support saved quite a few of my goats, and put us on the most fantastic path. (Happy to say our goats are thriving and are east to care for again.)”

I remember her story clearly and the anguish we all felt trying to help her turn around two heavily infected does who went on to lose the battle to barberpole.

Conventional remedies are on their way out and hopefully with them, stories like this.

Selective Breeding

If you’re breeding goats, one of your biggest action steps is to cull and cull hard to eliminate susceptible goats. This is a heartbreaking step but one that leads ultimately to a heart-full outcome. And for our purposes, we define “cull” as simply removing from your breeding program. There are many herds willing to take on the challenge or who manage differently for your “cull” goats to go to. If you’re serious about building a parasite resistant herd though, it all begins right here, in your actual goats.

The Path Forward

We need to shake of the shackles of convention and understand that the world we live in today is inviting innovation, a more nuanced look at management and an approach that takes into account the long term impacts of our choices on not only the goats themselves, but the land and the people that feed them.

Research

See also:

• https://www.fda.gov/files/animal%20&%20veterinary/published/FDA‘s-Public-Meeting-on-Antiparasitic-Drug-Use-and-Resistance-in-Ruminants-and-Equines—An-Overview.pdf