Parasite patrol Roadshow at Jefferson Co. Fairgrounds Sept. 25

AMES – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension are providing critical training to sheep producers to combat growing resistance to common dewormers.

The Parasite Patrol Roadshow, led by Carolyn Ihde, small ruminant outreach specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach and UW-Madison Division of Extension, will travel across Iowa this August and September to offer hands-on workshops focused on integrated parasite management strategies.

“Anthelmintic resistance is a global concern and is especially severe in small ruminants,” said Ihde. “In the U.S., resistance has been documented for all three major classes of dewormers. Once resistance is established, it is difficult to reverse, so smart use of anthelmintics is essential to preserving the efficacy of existing drugs.”

Participants will learn how to perform fecal egg counts, use FAMACHA scoring to identify anemia and apply selective treatment to reduce parasite pressure while preserving dewormer effectiveness.

Key training topics are:

Identifying signs of parasitism in sheep

Monitoring fecal egg count

Pasture management strategies

Understanding and maintaining refugia

Conducting fecal egg count reduction tests

The Parasite Patrol Roadshow will be held locally at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 1-4:30 p.m.

The cost to register for this event is $30. For more information and to register, visit https://eventreg.wisc.edu/en/5f4YRxR7/g/extension/parasite-patrol-jefferson-and-davis-counties-5a2TQr17nHx/overview