Dealing with barber's pole worm in sheep and goats
Farmer's Weekly|Farmer's Weekly 15 April 2022
The resistance of internal parasite species to worm remedies affects all small-stock farmers. In some areas, farming with animals resistant to nematode infestation seems to be the only long-term solution.
Dealing with barber's pole worm in sheep and goats

In a series of trials among Dohne Merino on Wauldby Farm in the Eastern Cape's Stutterheim district, Greta Snyman (Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute) and Alan Fisher (Queenstown Provincial Veterinary Laboratory) sought to establish protocols for selection for resistance against barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus).

This pest is a roundworm that grows up to 30mm long and sucks blood from the lining of the sheep's stomach, causing anaemia. Symptoms include swelling under the jaw (bottle jaw), weight loss and reduced wool growth and tensile strength. In lactating ewes, milk production can decline. More severe infections can prove fatal.

Female worms have red-and-white stripes, hence the common name.

Data on faecal egg counts (FEC), Famacha score (FAM) and body condition score (BCS) were collected annually on all lambs born from 2011.

Selection in the Wauldby flock was aimed at increasing resistance to H. contortus, while maintaining reproductive performance, body weight, wool weight and fibre diameter, and improving wool quality traits. Selection for the production traits was done on the basis of selection indices and BLUP of breeding values for the mentioned traits measured at 14 months of age. Selection for resistance to H. contortus was based on a selection index incorporating FEC, FAM and BCS (see panel).

The data collected over the years were used to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations among the traits. FAM had a high genetic correlation with FEC. Fisher and Snyman found that identifying animals that required anthelminthic treatment according to FAM would ensure that only truly susceptible animals were identified and destined to be culled. Resilient as well as resistant animals would not be targeted.

This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 15 April 2022 edition of Farmer's Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 15 April 2022 edition of Farmer's Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FARMER'S WEEKLYView All
Protests in Poland turn violent
Farmer's Weekly

Protests in Poland turn violent

The farmers’ protest in Poland is fast becoming known as the most violent agricultural protest in Europe, according to national media.

time-read
1 min  |
29 March 2024
Banana Hall of Fame celebrates banana industry
Farmer's Weekly

Banana Hall of Fame celebrates banana industry

In celebration of its 125th Bananaversary, Dole Food in the US recently established a National Banana Hall of Fame to honour culinary and cultural institutions that have helped to establish bananas as one of the world’s most popular and most purchased fruit.

time-read
1 min  |
29 March 2024
Underutilised crops come into their own
Farmer's Weekly

Underutilised crops come into their own

Diverse food systems are the focus of collaborative efforts at UKZN, writes Jyothi Laldas.

time-read
2 mins  |
29 March 2024
Why cybersecurity is needed in farming
Farmer's Weekly

Why cybersecurity is needed in farming

The agriculture sector could be the most susceptible to cyberattacks.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Minister launches third National Status of Biological Invasions in SA programme
Farmer's Weekly

Minister launches third National Status of Biological Invasions in SA programme

Biological invasions need to be treated as an urgent matter as they pose a risk to water security as well as biodiversity, writes Jyothi Laldas.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Two brothers who left their mark on SA
Farmer's Weekly

Two brothers who left their mark on SA

Born in Germany, Alfred and Otto Beit came to the Transvaal's diamond fields in the late 1800s, helping to found mining companies and build crucial infrastructure, writes Graham Jooste.

time-read
5 mins  |
29 March 2024
Driving impressions: Honda Elevate 1,5
Farmer's Weekly

Driving impressions: Honda Elevate 1,5

Honda SA is back to its best in terms of packaging, build quality, value-for-money and efficiency with a new entry to the hotly contested compact SUV market. Ian McLaren for CAR tested the vehicle at its launch.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Starting a small-farm vegetable project: Part 2
Farmer's Weekly

Starting a small-farm vegetable project: Part 2

The process of developing a small vegetable farm is gradual and the full benefits will only be realised later, writes Bill Kerr.

time-read
2 mins  |
29 March 2024
Basic vaccination and health protocols for pigs
Farmer's Weekly

Basic vaccination and health protocols for pigs

Pigs are usually produced in intensive environments such as purpose-built piggeries, sties, or even enclosed sheds.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Saving Nigeria's forest elephants
Farmer's Weekly

Saving Nigeria's forest elephants

Nigeria risks losing all its forest elephants. This is what Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan, professor of environmental physiology of animals at the University of Lagos, and Bola Oboh, professor of genetics at the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics at the University of Lagos, found when they went looking for them.

time-read
4 mins  |
29 March 2024