RESEARCH
LU Research: Controlling Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants THROUGHOUT OKLAHOMA AND AROUND THE WORLD, GOAT AND SHEEP PRODUCERS FACE A SEVERE PROBLEM. YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT, GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES — OR ROUNDWORMS — CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR ANIMALS AND SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC LOSSES FOR SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCERS.
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he National Animal Health Monitoring System of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported that in 2015 more than 86,700 goats died due to internal parasites — one in four of all deaths not caused by predators. Oklahoma ranked second nationally in nonpredator-caused goat and kid losses, with over 31,000 deaths resulting in financial losses of $4.8 million.
Among the major nematode parasites in goats and sheep, the blood feeder Haemonchus contortus, or barber pole worm, is the most pathogenic. This prolific blood-sucking roundworm is called the barber pole worm due to its appearance, with its white reproductive tract visibly wrapping around its blood-filled digestive tract. The parasite lives in the ruminant’s abomasum, or fourth stomach. In a single day, a worm can lay thousands of eggs, which embed in the animal’s feces and, once
excreted, mature into infective larvae demand organically grown foods. For that contaminate pastures where herds small ruminant animals to qualify as graze and ingest the larvae. Unchecked, organic, the methods used to control this cycle can lead to high levels of parasites must follow the regulations set infestation. A single host animal can out by the USDA’s National Organic have thousands of these worms in its Program. gastrointestinal tract, each one piercing Faced with this situation, a number of the lining to consume blood. For the scientists are seeking to develop alterhost animal, the outcomes are anemia, natives to chemical dewormers. Dr. failure to thrive, and even death. For Zaisen Wang of Langston University is the farmer, the result is loss of producone of them. He and visiting research tivity and income. scientist Dr. Jessica Quijada, in collaboration with AZ Nature Art LLC of PROBLEMS WITH CHEMICAL San Diego, a biotech company engaged D E WO R M E R S in natural product sourcing, collecTo kill internal parasites, producers tion, extraction, purification, and mantypically use chemical dewormers, ufacturing, are exploring alternative technically called anthelmintics. But approaches to controlling the barber these chemical remedies face two of pole worm in sheep and goats. their own problems. On the one hand, roundworms have become resistant N E W WAYS T O CO N T R O L O L D to the chemicals – in as little as three PA R A S I T E S years in the case of one dewormer. Wang and Quijada are investigating a On the other, markets have evolved, number of parasite control approaches and increasing numbers of consumers
“Historically, these plants have been used for deworming … but we hope to improve their efficacy, and initial results from some plant compounds are positive.” — D R . Z AI S E N WAN G
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LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
