On-Farm Studies of Innovative Methods to Control Worms in Sheep & Goats

Sponsored by:– Federal Formula Funds– NESARE– Northern NY Ag Development Project– USDA Organic Research and Extension Initiative

Tested:

1. the effectiveness of dosing sheep and goats with copper oxide wire particles (COWP) to control Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worm),

2. whether establishing and grazing birdsfoot trefoil pastures has potential to control barber pole worm and other round worms, and

3. whether ivermectin should be included in the arsenal of treatments of animals infected with deer-worm.

Copper toxicity in sheep

• Sheep are ten times more susceptible to copper toxicity than cattle.

• When consumed over a long period of time, excess copper is stored in the liver. – No damage occurs until a toxic level is reached

hemolytic crisis with destruction of red blood cells. – Copper is closely related to molybdenum, and copper

toxicity occurs when the dietary ratio of copper to molybdenum increases about 6-10:1.

– Affected animals suddenly go off feed and become weak. Mucous membranes and white skin turn yellowish brown color. Urine red-brown color due to hemoglobin in the urine.

Copper Oxide Wire Particles

• Copper oxide wire particles (COWP) were developed as a slow release source of copper for cattle on copper deficient soils.

• COWP particles are retained in the abomasum long enough to permit acid solubilization of the copper.

• Results in gradual release of copper which reduces risk of copper toxicity.

ATTRA Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Copper Wire Particles

Copper Oxide Wire Particles

• COWP boluses (Copasure©) available commercially and already approved by organic certification associations because of their role in copper supplementation.

• 12.5 and 25 gram boluses for calves and cows need to be repackaged into far smaller doses suitable for growing sheep and goats!

ATTRA Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Copper Wire Particles

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Copper Oxide Wire Particles

• Effective against Barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) and not thought to be effective against arrested worms. What time of year best to give?

• Not effective against Brown stomach worm, not effective against tapeworms.

Brown Stomach Worm (Ostertagia)

• Used to be considered most serious parasite of sheep in cool climates

• Worm develops in gastric glands of stomach (abomasum) and destroys the glands as they grow

• Affects appetite, digestion and nutrient utilization

• Clinical signs – diarrhea, reduced appetite, weight loss

Haemonchus contortus

• short generation time, heavy egg producer; 5,000-10,000 eggs/worm/day

• can infest and kill host in 4 weeks

• Each worm can consume 0.05 ml blood per day

• Main symptom –Anemia

The Barber Pole WormA blood-sucking parasite that pierces the mucosa of the abomasum (ruminant “stomach”), causing blood plasma and protein loss to the sheep or goat.

NEW YORK1 Goat Dairy

• Treatments consisted of – 1 gram COWP/head, – 2 gram COWP/head, or – 1 gram COWP/22 lb. live weight

• 15 to 16 lactating does per treatment

Looked for signs of copper problems

• Sampled milk on Day 0 (immediately before) COWP dosing, Day 14 and Day 42 to analyze for Cu content using plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy

• Cheese maker reported no changes in time to set curd and consistency of curd for 4 different cheeses made first week immediately following COWP treatments

• Blood samples taken on Day 42 and the plasma then analyzed for AST enzyme activity ( indicator of copper toxicity)

Changes in Cu Level in Milk after COWP Treatment –

The increase was significantly more for 1 g/22 lb. LW

BUT no significant differences in actual level of CU in milk between the treatmentsTreatment Day 0 –

Immediatelybefore treatment

Day 14 Increase

1 gram/22 lblivewt.

0.105 ppm (0.042 – 0.33)

0.171 ppm (0.083 – 0.322) 0.066 ppm

2 gram/head 0.135 ppm (0.056 – 0.398)

0.161 ppm (0.103 – 0.282) 0.026 ppm

1 gram/head 0.153 ppm (0.043 - 0.551)

0.191 ppm (0.121 – 0.358) 0.039 ppm

ASP Enzyme Levels in Plasma after COWP Treatment – no significant differences

between treatments

Treatment DAY 42

1 gram/22 lb livewt.117.9 (89 – 221)

2 gram/head120.6 (76 – 203)

1 gram/head112.9 (86 – 138)

Copper toxicity elicits enzyme activity values > 300 - 400 units.Only two goats had values > 200 units.

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Effect of copper oxide wire particles (COWP)

on the change in fecal egg counts after 14 days.COWP Haemonchus Strongyles

1 g/22 lb. BW -1153 -1185

2 g/doe -1226 -1191

1 g/doe 107 75

SE 484.6 477.9

P-value for 1 g/head vs average of 1 g/22 lb.

and 2 g/head0.034 0.036

P-value for 1 g/22 lb. vs 2 g/head 0.914 0.993

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St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm

40 lambs20 ewe lambs

4 control8 given COWP 2 wks pre-weaning

4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

8 given COWP 2 wks post-weaning4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

20 ram lambs4 control8 given COWP 2 wks pre-weaning

4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

8 given COWP 2 wks post-weaning4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

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St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm

Strongyle Haemonchus

COWP FAMACHA Ln (+1)Geometric

mean Ln (+1)Geometric

meanWeight,

lb.Administration Control 2.5 8.05 3121 7.85 2573 56

Pre-weaning 0.5 g 2.2 6.28 534 5.33 206 531 g 2.2 6.42 613 5.44 230 55

Post-weaning 0.5 g 1.9 6.72 830 5.86 350 541 g 2.2 6.73 835 5.95 385 56

SEM 0.18 0.29 0.37 2.2P-value 0.323 0.001 <0.001 0.822

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St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm

9/1/20148/18/20148/4/20147/21/20147/7/2014

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COWP

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Thousand Island Goat Farm

24 kids – 8 controls, 8 got 0.5 g COWP, 8 got 1 g COWP 12 doe kids – self weaning

4 control8 given COWP at start

4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

12 buck kids4 control8 given COWP at start

4 given 0.5 g4 given 1 g

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Thousand Island Goat FarmStrongyle Haemonchus

TIGF FAMACHA Ln (+1)Geometric

mean Ln (+1)Geometric

mean Weight, lbCOWP Control 2.0 7.48 1765 7.45 1720 48

0.5 g 2.2 7.19 1322 7.15 1279 501 g 2.2 6.89 980 6.82 912 81SEM 0.10 0.33 0.33 2.7P-value 0.598 0.461 0.407 0.729

Sex Bucks 2.2 7.14 1256 7.09 1195 53Does 2.1 7.23 1382 7.19 1331 46SEM 0.08 0.27 0.27 2.2P-value 0.476 0.803 0.778 0.061

COWP x Sex interaction P-value 0.314 0.032 0.030 0.300Date 8-Jul 1.9 5.81 335 5.77 322 45

5-Aug 2.3 8.12 3361 8.06 3153 55SEM 0.08 0.12 0.12 0.2P-value 0.012 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001

COWP x Date interaction P-value 0.533 0.702 0.760 0.271Sex x Date interaction P-value 0.82 0.512 0.526 0.056COWP x Sex x Date interactionP-value 0.807 0.005 0.005 0.271

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Thousand Island Goat Farm

8/5/20147/22/20147/8/2014

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Table 1. Effect of copper oxide wire particle (COWP) dosage, breed, and date on FAMACHA scores and fecal egg countsa.

Ln (Eggs+1)/g feces Antilog of means

Effect Level FAMACHA Strongyles Haemonchus Strongyles HaemonchusCOWP

Control 2.6 6.00 5.37 401 2141 g 2.3 5.46 4.71 235 1112 g 2.4 5.94 4.46 381 86SE 0.16 0.55 0.73

P-value 0.463 0.762 0.660Breed

Clun Forest 2.3 5.15 4.29 173 73Other 2.6 6.45 5.40 630 220

SE 013 0.45 0.59P-value 0.094 0.059 0.207

Date6/30/2014 2.4 6.32 5.69 558 2977/14/2014 2.4 5.61 4.74 272 1157/28/2014 2.5 5.47 4.10 237 60

SE 0.10 0.30 0.29P-value 0.802 0.115 0.002

aNo interactions were significant.

Study with lactating Clun and Romney Ewes.

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Dorset X lambs at the Cornell Univ. Sheep Farm

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Barber Pole Worm Egg County By Treatment in Boer goat kidswhere COWP was administered 2 weeks pre-weaning

Control 0.5 g/head 1 g/head 1.5 g/head

Copper Oxide Wire Particles• Researchers in SE US who have studied it the most

recommend using it in combination with FAMACHA –give COWP to your vulnerable “3s” (lambs, kids, lactating or late pregnant females) rather than giving a commercial dewormer.

• Follow up with regular FAMACHAscoring, fecal egg sampling, to see if it is helping.

Conclusions thus far • Not as effective as a dewormer

(assuming there is no resistance to the dewormer).

• Does not seem to work at all in some farms/flocks? Diarrhea, diet, timing of infection, acidity of true stomach –we don’t know why

• No discarding of milk necessary

Conclusions• On farms where it works,

– .5 gram per head dosages appears to be as effective as 1 gram per head for lambs. Studies on higher levels may be warranted on goat kids?

–On adult sheep and goats -2 grams per head appeared to work as well as 1 gram per 22 lb. live weight and did not significantly increase the copper levels in milk

• Need more studies to identify why the effect differs so much between farms.