The Wonderful World of Worms

If you have a farm, sooner or later you’re going to have to deal with parasites. Farm animals aren’t like your house pets. They don’t—usually—come inside; they live in the field where there are insects and mud and poop, places where parasites thrive. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Worms!

There are ways to deal with parasites that don’t involve deworming and there are a ton of dewormers out there. I think of deworming like antibiotics and tend to only do it if totally necessary.

First, let’s talk about ways to tell if your goat has worms.

Number one, she does. All goats have worms. The key to parasite management is to keep the worm load down. What are some signs and symptoms of high worm load in goats?

1. Diarrhea/clumping stool
2. Pale gums/eyelids
3. Lethargy
4. Weight loss
5. Dull coat

Checking a FAMACHA score is the best way to tell if your goat needs dewormed. A FAMACHA score determines the level of anemia present in your goat. It ranges from one to five, one being the optimal score where the eyelids are the darkest pink. A five is the palest and worst scenario. Dose immediately because it can be fatal. Here is an example of a FAMACHA card.

Checking a fecal is best in this scenario. Any livestock or large animal vet can perform a fecal. I have heard of farmers getting equipment and teaching themselves to do it, but microscopes are a little pricey. By checking a fecal, the vet can tell you exactly which worms to worry about and which dewormers will work the best.

What are ways to keep the worm load down naturally?

There are a lot of natural dewormers out there. You can purchase herbal dewormers like my friend, DaNelle at Weed ’em and Reap or go the route I generally do and simply cut cedar boughs and toss them in the pen. Pumpkin is a good natural dewormer that goats will eat. Thyme, sage, garlic and rosemary are a few of the other natural dewormers safe to give your goats.

Pasture rotation and feed hygiene are also ways to keep a worm load down. If the animals aren’t pooping in a spot, the worms don’t have anywhere to thrive and they’ll die off. If you have the land to rotate pastures every few months, that’s ideal. Feeding your animals off the ground is another effective way of managing worms. We used a large PVC pipe and DIYd a feeder for our does. Our hay feeders are also off the ground. Goats are a bit picky and tend not to eat off the ground anyway, but it’s best to be safe.

What about chemical dewormers?

A lot of people are hesitant to use chemical dewormers and a lot are quick to jump to medication. I think it’s best to be cautious but I won’t hesitate to use it if I need it. If it comes down to a goat—or any animal’s—life, I’m going to use the chemical dewormers. Your vet can tell you what’s working best in your area and if they are seeing resistance to any particular dewormer. In my area, my vet recommends Cydectin Sheep Drench. We use it when necessary.

Corid is a coccidiostat that will get rid of coccidia. We recently battled coccidia after our kidding season and it’s not fun. You can use medicated feed to help if you’re battling coccidia, but I wouldn’t recommend it all of the time.

Ivermectin is another common dewormer. I haven’t personally used it because, like I said, my vet recommended Cydectin.

Because there are different parasites with different susceptibilities, it is best to get a fecal test done if you’re dealing with a very poor FAMACHA score or a lot of goats with signs of parasites.

Parasites are a big deal in the farming world. Hopefully, this will help you navigate the wonderful world of worms a little easier!