The profit margin in sheep farming is small so it is important that the sheep farmer keeps his flock healthy at minimum cost .This means good management practices and also anticipation of problems before they become big expensive problems.

There are many different species of worm that lives in the stomach and intestines of the sheep. The main ones in Barbados are haemonchus, oesophagostomum,and trichuris. They basically have the same life cycle .

Eggs laid by the adult female worm inside the sheeps stomach or bowels are passed out with the droppings into the pen or pasture . In 24 hours the eggs change into 1st stage larvae which feed on bacteria and moisture .They quickly develop from 2nd to 3 rd stage larvae in 3-7 days . The infective larvae then climbs up and down the grass or bedding waiting for sheep to eat it. When they are swallowed they attach themselves to the lining of the gut and develop into adult male and female worms . This life cycle takes about 3-6 weeks , but it is important to remember that when you worm a sheep it may still be passing out eggs for a few days afterwards that will ultimately develop into infective larvae .

Unless you move your sheep to fresh pasture where no sheep have been for at least 6 weeks before then they will simply re-infect themselves and the process is repeated .

Since few farmers can move their sheep to un-infected pasture the only thing you can do is regularly worm at 6-8 week intervals to keep the worms under control .Cleaning out the pens on a regular basis coinciding with worming is also a good idea.

When large numbers of intestinal worms are present the bowel becomes inflamed and diarrhoea is the most common sign . The animal becomes listless and does not thrive . When stomach worms are present the animal becomes anaemic and the membranes of the eye become pale (white eye).Advance cases develop a watery swelling under the jaw (bottle jaw)

The main tapeworm is monezia expanza which is a wide tapeworm with short segments .

The segments of the adult worm containing eggs pass out in the dung . The segments disintegrate exposing the eggs which are then eaten by a pasture mite . The eggs develop inside the mite into infective larvae which the sheep eats along with the mite as it grazes . Inside the intestine the larvae develops in to the adult tapeworm .

There may be general unthriftiness and weight loss . Segments may sometimes be seen in the dung and lambs in particular may have heavy infestations

1)Fenbendazole (panacur)

2)oxyclozanide (zanil) 15mg/kg

The nasal bot is the larval stage of the fly Oestrus Ovis . This maggot stage lives up in the nasal sinuses for 1-10 months which must be very uncomfortable !

The adult fly is about 12mm long and is grayish brown.The female fly lays the larvae in and around the nostril without landing on the sheep , and the small larvae migrate up the nose .When mature the larvae drop out of the nose and burrow down into the bedding and pupate . This may take 3-9 weeks after which the fly emerges and climbs through to the surface . You will frequently see the pupae when cleaning out pens ( there are bands on the segments )

A nasal discharge is the most common sign . The discharge is clear to start with but longstanding infections become pussy or even bloody . Sneezing may be a sign and the sheep may run with its head close to the ground . Pnuemonia may sometimes develop in later cases.

1) Ivermectin (oramec) 200mcg/kg15mls adults

2)Rafoxanide 7.5mg/kgflukanide/flukol

3)Ranizole rafox + thibendazole .

The cause of this is a single cell parasite of the Eimeria species . The sheep ingest the oocysts (Eggs) ,and sporozoites then invade the intestinal cells .Reproductive changes take place in the cells of the host which results in more infective bodies being produced .

Infection is more common in dirty pens where overcrowding is present. Younger animals are usually affected .

Diarrhoea is usual , sometimes with blood or mucus. weight loss and anaemia are common .

1) amprolium (amprol)35mg/kg

2)sulphaquinoxaline

given in water /clean pens

If possible buy worming medicine in large containers---- it is more economical . There is usually a large markup on small bottles of wormer .

dose animals individually and mark them with a marker pen

take samples of droppings to the Vet Lab in the Pine or to your Vet for analysis of parasites present .

Aim to prevent and control worms rather than treat the symptoms.

use the proper dose --- Read the Label !

Keep bedding dry and clean out regularly.