FACT SHEET:

Ministry of Agriculture

Worm identification
FAMACHA techniques in Sheep and Goats

drenching, only those animals that need treatment.

• It allows users to score the level of anaemia on a 5
point scale from 1-5.

How to Use FAMACHA?

Use under Natural Sunlight, open the eyelids and push
the upper lid down while exposing the lower lid.
• Do not hold eye open for more than a few seconds.
• Check both eyes
• Carry out FAMACHA scoring every 2 weeks.
• Keep a record of the number of times each animal
is treated.

Why to Use FAMACHA?

• This technique is very easy and sufficiently reliable.
• Slows down the development of resistance in worm
populations.
• Identifies animals that needs treatment.

Reasons why Farmers should adopt to this worm

What is FAMACHA?
• A guide for identifying anaemia based on the colour
of the lower eyelids of animals.
• Valuable tool used in combination with anthelmintic
to manage worms.
• An effective and consistent method for target
control strategy
• Saves lots of money using unnecessary drenches
on non-infected animals especially when farmers do
blanket drenches without considering dosage rate
by weights.
• This will slow the development of drug resistance
for worms.
• By identifying animals that need to be treated will be
able to select for more suitable sheep to be attainable
in the long run.

Agriculture Fact Sheet

 Worm Life-cycle
Larvae mature and
Host stage develop into adult
16-21 days to worms (L4) inside
complete Adult lay the sheep
eggs

Free-living stages
Eggs in 2-12 weeks to complete 3rd stage L3 larvae
dung
are infective. They
migrate to the
herbage and wait to
be eaten by a sheep

In the autumn L3
may arrest and
over winter in the
sheep 1st stage larvae in 2nd stage larvae in
dung dung

For more information contact: Ministry of Agriculture Raiwaqa or Vatuwaqa on:

Phone: (679) 338 4233 / 331 5197 Website: www.agriculture.gov.fj Facebook: Ministry of Agriculture Fiji
Twitter: Fiji Agriculture Email: agrihelp@govnet.gov.fj
Agriculture Fact Sheet