Expertise
Control pasture parasites
Gerold Rahmann | 02.06.2022
Endoparasites are the biggest challenge in grazing ruminants. This is especially true for sheep and goats. Avoiding medication as much as possible and still keeping the animals healthy is a challenge for organic sheep and goat husbandry.
Special deworming agents for dairy goats and sheep are not yet available; therefore, substances that are actually used for cattle or meat sheep are used as a substitute. In organic farming, this results in long waiting times and thus considerable economic losses, as the animals are usually milked in summer - i.e. when they spend a lot of time on pasture. Natural remedies are to be provided for in organic farming, and corresponding remedies are propagated for both prophylaxis and therapy. However, their effects and side effects have hardly been tested under scientific conditions so far.
At our experimental station in Trenthorst, we therefore dealt with the evaluation and development of methods for controlling endoparasites in goat grazing. In addition, we tested foliage and bark of woody plants as well as parasite-trapping fungi as possible antidotes.
Skillful pasture management in combination with deworming and egg excretion control can help optimise the amounts of medicines administered. The development of an internet-based decision tree (in German) for the control of endoparasites, to be used by the farmer and the veterinarian, is intended to support the farm's multi-stage decision-making process with several alternatives. Also because dewormers for farm animals are available on prescription, the veterinarian is an important partner of the farmer in the implementation of control measures. With the web portal www.weide-parasiten.de (in German), which we have developed and made available free of charge, we are therefore addressing both professional groups.
