This question is asked frequently. Finding worms afterwards causes a lot of concern and sometimes even leads people to stop doing fecal examinations. However, a fecal test is not performed to determine whether or not the animal has worms. Every animal has worms, even goats and sheep that have just been dewormed. The available dewormers only kill part of the worm population present in a goat or sheep. Most larvae easily survive the treatment.
Please keep in mind that eggs are only shed by adult worms. If no eggs are found in the fecal test, but there are developing juvenile larvae, these larvae may become adults within two weeks and then start laying eggs.
We routinely test the feces of your goat or sheep for coccidia, tapeworm eggs, and roundworm eggs (Nematodirus, Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, and Teladorsagia). For liver fluke, you can order an additional test.
If the fecal test shows that your goat or sheep is infected with worms, we will provide you with a personalized treatment recommendation. This way, your animal’s health comes first and unnecessary deworming is avoided.
Infectious larvae can survive on the pasture for up to 3 months, especially at lower temperatures. Moderate to severe frost kills the infectious larvae. Research has shown that pastures can remain contaminated until January due to mild winters. This means that goats and sheep can indeed become infected well into the winter. A worm control program therefore also includes the winter months.
You can submit pooled samples yourself, but you must mix the manure yourself. Take an equal amount of manure from each animal, place all the manure in a bucket, and mix it thoroughly. Then take a small handful of the mixture and send it to the laboratory.
The laboratory does not recommend pooled faecal samples. In groups, the test often turns out positive, after which all animals are treated — which is not the intention.
For example, if you have a group of six goats or sheep, five of which shed no eggs and one sheds a high number, a well-mixed pooled sample may still test positive. This often results in all animals being treated, which is not necessary.
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