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SHEEP, GOAT PARASITE WORKSHOPS SET
WINFIELD, Ala. -- The first of three workshops by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Alabama A&M University researchers to help producers combat gastrointestinal parasites in sheep and goats will be Saturday at the Upper Coastal Plains Research Center near Winfield. Other workshops are set April 14 at the Charles Stone Agricultural Center on the Alabama A&M University campus in Huntsville, and April 21 at the Pintlala Volunteer Fire Department in Hope Hull. All workshops are free and will run from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. with a one-hour lunch on your own. In 2006, Extension veterinarian Dr. Maria Leite-Browning and Alabama A&M research assistant professor Dr. James Bukenya conducted a statewide survey among goat producers to identify problems and needs of the industry. Survey results are being used to design research-based educational programs addressing those issues so that farmers can increase production and revenue. Workshop participants will learn about the lifecycle of GI worms, the consequences of parasite-host interaction, and how dewormers work. Additionally, presentations on FDA-approved and nonapproved products will be included, along with training on how to administer the FAMACHA test. This test, developed by South African scientists, is used to control barber pole worm infestation. The FAMACHA test is generally performed by examining the goat's lower eyelids and comparing the eyelids' color to a color-coded chart. Variation of eyelid color from pale to red indicates the degree of anemia. By knowing the eyelid coloration of infested animals, farmers can determine when deworming is needed. For more information on Saturday's workshop in Winfield, contact Bobby Wallace at (205) 921-3551. For information on the April 14 workshop in Huntsville, contact Elaine King at (256) 532-1578. For more information on the April 21 workshop in Hope Hull, call (334) 322-8837.
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