Small Ruminant Management
Small Ruminant Parasite Herd Risk Analysis
Project Update - see what we have learned so far
Recently PASA and Penn State joined forces to explore the topic of small ruminants and considering a whole farm design when attempting to control internal parasites.
Dr. David Wolfgang, PSU Veterinary Sciences, Ron Hoover, PSU On-Farm Research Coordinator and Michele Gauger, PASA Research Assistant have developed tool called a "risk assessment" to evaluate several aspects of small ruminant production.
In recent years parasite control has been largely accomplished by the widespread and frequent use of pharmaceutical therapeutic agents. Despite evidence that implementing a strategy to utilize environmental factors along with knowledge of the parasite lifecycle would minimize pharmaceutical use, most producers have chosen to use anthelminthics in a tactical fashion or whenever they deem necessary. Such practices have increased the incidence of parasite resistance to therapeutic agents. Producers in the southern states have reported some serious health problems related to parasitism and an apparent lack of efficacy in common therapeutic agents. Spread of resistant organisms appears to be moving into or already in Pennsylvania flocks.
This small pilot project will consider the whole farm system (forage/pasture management, environmental quality, herd management, farm marketing and overall farm management) and its impact on small ruminant parasite management. We believe a strategic overall farm management plan has the potential to reduce parasite burdens, improve animal performance, promote animal health and increase producer profitability.
In the upcoming months we will follow several flocks that practice intensive or semi-intensive grazing. In a graduated risk assessment format potential weakness will be prioritized. The step-wise risk assessment process will lead to a number of management choices that can be employed to reduce identified risks. The risk assessment begins by collecting information about the herd's history with and potential exposure to internal parasites. This data could provide useful benchmarks from which to consider the potential impact of parasites on business profitability and to evaluate changes and progress over time.
This broad assessment will consider how small ruminant producers manage their operations and relate those practices collectively to some measures of: productivity, efficiency, profitability, operator satisfaction, etc. With enough participants, we expect to collect a gradient amongst several (perhaps many) issues that are constraining to the desired outcomes of the farms. This information will be summarized and shared with the group so that producers can:
Identify some areas for immediate attention that can result in positive improvements
Learn from one another (how did those who solved problem(s) arrive at their solutions?
Network for future activities
