Fecal fluency

A review of fecal tests and how to interpret the results

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasites are the greatest threat to the health and productivity of small ruminants and camelids in the United States, and in many other parts of the world. The steadily escalating problem of multi-drug resistant parasites has resulted in an increase in treatment failures, often with lethal consequences. Effective control programs for Haemonchus contortus and other important parasites require knowledge of which parasites are present on farms, the magnitude of the infection among animals, and which anthelmintics are still effective. This presentation will focus on fecal analyses used to detect important nematodes that affect goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas, and methods used to determine anthelmintic resistance.