The University of Florida sponsored the "Famacha" (Fa-MAH-cha) workshop on June 14 -15, 2003. This workshop was the first seminar teaching a new and more efficient method of parasite control in sheep and goats. Dr. Kaplan of the University of Georgia Veterinary Medicine, a renowned parasitologist, has been conducting major research on parasite resistance in the southern states. Florida sheep and goat producers were the first in the United States to receive training on the Famacha method of parasite detection. It soon became apparent that the sheep and goat industry in the south will not survive if the old deworming regimen continues. This seminar was a mile stone for serious sheep and goat producers.

On Saturday morning, Dr. Kaplan addressed a packed class room of students eager to learn how to better control the deadly parasite, Heamonchus Contortus, also known as the "barber pole" worm. This parasite sucks blood causing an anemic condition and if left untreated kills the animal. He explained that most of the dewormers (anthelmintics) we've been relying upon for controlling the barber pole worm have lost their effectiveness and many producers are experiencing high death loss due to this parasite. We have two effective products left able to control the barber pole worm: Moxidectin (Cydectin), which is a strong version of Ivermectin, and Levamasole (Levasole). There are no new anthelmintics on the horizon for sheep and goats and it may be 15 to 20 years before new research provides an effective drug. Without the means of killing parasites that will kill our sheep, we're out of business. The use of Famacha can help us preserve the two remaining dewormers, Moxidectin and Levamasole. (Cydectin is not cleared for sheep. It is a cattle pour on dewormer and is given as a drench (orally) to sheep at the rate of 10cc per 100 pounds.)

Famacha, developed in South Africa where the barber pole worm has been devastating, is a cutting edge method for evaluating the level of anemia. The Famacha test is an inspection of the lower eye lid, which is full of tiny blood vessels. The color of the blood vessels on the inside of the lower eye lid reveals the degree of infection. A color chart ranging from bright red to pale pink on a scale from one to five, is used to determine if a dewormer should be administered. One is no anemia (bright red) and five is very anemic (pale pink). The lower lid is gently pulled down and the color chart used to determine whether or not to deworm that individual. We were given six pens of sheep with six sheep per pen. Teams of three inspected the eye lid and compared the color of the eyelid to the corresponding color on the color chart. It took some of us several tries to get the proper area of the lid exposed. Dr. Kaplan's careful oversight of each team guaranteed a correct inspection of the eye lid.

It was very interesting to learn how the barber pole worm became resistant to most of our dewormers. Dr. Kaplan explained that within every worm population there are those with the ability to survive the dewormer. These surviving worms then breed with one another, giving their offspring the ability to survive as well. Over time a large population of drug resistant parasites develops. Those of us who dewormed our entire flock on a regular basis unknowingly filled our fields with drug resistant parasites. Famacha can help us keep resistant parasites to a manageable number by treating only those sheep and goats showing an anemic condition. Since 30% of the sheep carry 80% of the worms we can determine, through Famacha, which individuals to keep and which ones to cull. 

Dr. Kaplan stressed that Famacha should be used with other means of parasite control such as pasture rotation and multi-species grazing. We should use all effective methods possible to control parasites, with Famacha being one of many tools.

We are grateful to Dr. Jack Gaskin who organized the seminar, Dr. Mimi Williams, who provided the sheep for the hands on experience, and to the Florida Goat Producers who fed us outstanding meals.