Sheep and Goats

FAMACHA© and Integrated Parasite Management

Internal parasites (worms) are the primary health problem affecting small ruminants (sheep goats, and camelids). Due to dewormer resistance, it is no longer recommended that animals be treated preventively. Only clinically-parasitized animals should be dewormed. FAMACHA© is a decision-making tool for deworming small ruminants. It estimates the level of anemia (blood loss) in the animal. Anemia is the primary symptom of barber pole worm infection. In order to get a FAMACHA© card, you must take an approved training and become FAMACHA© certified. Because of Covid, online FAMACHA© certification is now available. It consists of watching a presentation (YouTube video) passing a quiz (70%), and making a video demonstrating proper FAMACHA© scoring technique.

Learn more >>
Click on the arrow below to view other small ruminant programs.

The Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon

The Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon is always held on the Sunday of the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is always held the first full weekend of May at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, Maryland.

Learn more >>

Click on the arrow below to view other small ruminant programs.

Small Ruminant Webinars

A webinar is a seminar presented through the world wide web. All you need to participate in is a computer with an internet connection. High-speed internet access is recommended. Interaction is via a chatbox. Most webinars are recorded, and the recordings are uploaded to YouTube (or some other similar). The University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension Program has been doing webinars since 2011. Webinar offerings have increased substantially due to COVID-19. 

Explore webinars >>

Click on the arrow below to view other small ruminant programs.

Subscribe to Listservs

The University of Maryland Extension Small Ruminant Program has created four listservs (Wild and Woolly, Sheep Research, Webinars, and WORMinfo) to communicate with producers and disseminate information pertaining to sheep and goat production and marketing. Anyone may subscribe to one or more of the listservs.

Subscribe >>

Click on the arrow below to view other small ruminant programs.