Goats & Sheep: What do they need?

If you own 1 or 20, goats and sheep require routine care to keep them healthy and happy in Green Country.   The #1 enemy of a healthy ruminant is parasites! A tiny little worm known as the "barber pole worm" or haemonchus contortus can cause severe anemia and lead to death quickly in hot summer months.  So how do you compete with this tiny worm for your animal's health?  
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1. Monthly FAMACHA checks: these scoring cards allow you to estimate the amount of barber pole worms so you can selectively deworm based on your animals need. 
2. Stick with the same wormer, and do fecal testing with multiple poor FAMACHA scores.
3. Do not over graze, and rotate pastures often.  Parasites transmit easier in short pastures with excessive feces. 

There are several risk based vaccines available for sheep & goats.  For most companion small ruminants, we recommend: 

• Tetanus 
• Clostridium 
• Rabies 

For more information or to schedule a wellness visit call us today!

​- Sara Miller DVM