# Springtime Fecal Testing ...



## Mike (Dec 10, 2008)

Interesting... I just had fecals run yesterday and one of my goats came through clean... while the other has evidence of strongyloides. The Vet advised worming with Ivermectin and again in 2 weeks. I had just done this about a month or month and a half ago with Ivermectin. He advised that he doesn't recommend the 2x goat weight for the dose anymore but 3-4x the weight for dose calculation ? 

I've been worming every 2 months alternating Safeguard and Ivermectin ... no signs of Cocci, tape worms etc which is good I guess. Guess I may as well worm them both again... Pesky worms ! :x


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

it's possible that your goats resp. THEIR worms have developed resistency against Ivermectin and/or Safeguard. In that case the solution would be to switch to a new wormer, like moxidectin.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Also if you can do pasture rotation at all it will really help with the worm load. Don't let them graze the grass down past 3 inches high. Also depending on where you are...to not let them graze on wet grass (ie don't let them out of their barns or into the pastures until the dew drys). Unfortunately here in the Pacific North West where I am from...the grass rarely ever dries.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

There are some really ominous things coming up the pike as far as parasites are concerend. The dosages have had to be raised since the parasites are becoming resistnat and we are in danger of breeding parasites that are immune to all known wormers. Before you laugh, it's already happened in the south in places. Alternating wormers is not a good idea. Too easy to build a resistance.

Current thinking is to stick with one till you see a parasite load and then change, using fecal testing to keep track of the results of all your testing. We owe it to ourselves to keep track of the changes in parasite control, and learn how to work a whole program, not just shotgun it, if you have more than one or two goats, or live where it's wet, or raise kids.

Overview of the problem
http://www.goatconnection.com/articles/ ... _112.shtml

FAMACHA testing, Smart Drenching and other new management tools
http://www.scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/ProdRec/producerinfo.htm


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