Is the Famacha© system always the best criterion for targeted selective treatment for the control of haemonchosis in growing lambs?

Cintra, Maria Christine Rizzon; Ollhoff, Rüdiger Daniel; Weber, Saulo Henrique; Sotomaior, Cristina Santos

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.12.015

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Previous researches both support and contradict these findings. Studies found that FAMACHA score was highly related to FEC and reduced weight gain, and deworming animals based on this parameter led to lower weights compared with other selection methods, such as daily weight gain, FEC, or a controlled monthly treatment ( Leask et al, 2013 ; Rizzon Cintra et al, 2019 ). However, another study found that weight loss did not significantly differ between treated and non-treated animals ( Stafford et al, 2009 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evaluating the relationship between fecal egg count, FAMACHA score, and weight in dewormed and non-dewormed Katahdin rams during a parasite challenge

Galyon

Zajac

Wright

et al. 2020

Translational Animal Science

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The objective of this study was to evaluate and to estimate the relationship between fecal egg counts (FEC) and FAMACHA© score and the body weight of growing Katahdin rams during a parasite challenge. One of the largest factors negatively influencing reproduction and economics in the sheep industry is gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites. Due to anthelmintic resistance of these parasites, animals are selected for parasite resistance using FEC and FAMACHA© scores. Data were used from the Virginia Tech Southwest Agricultural Research and Extension Center Ram Test in Glade Spring, VA from the years 2012 to 2018 in which animals were tested in 14-day intervals for 70 days. Mixed models for repeated weight measurements were made from backwards stepwise selection to evaluate relationships between weight and GIN FEC. A total of 576 animals within 23 contemporary groups derived from test year and pasture group were analyzed. Ram, contemporary group, and consignor were considered random effects, and fixed effects were birth type, test day, age, age squared, starting weight, FEC, and FAMACHA© score. Pairwise contrasts were used in the statistical analysis of parameters and their interactions. Weight and age were found to have a quadratic relationship. Increased FEC was associated with weight loss at a rate of 0.00030 kg/FEC (P < 0.0001). Animals dewormed at any point during the trial weighed less than those that were not and increased with test day to a maximum difference of 4.66 kg (P < 0.001). FAMACHA© score was found to be significant (P < 0.05), but a direct relationship with weight was not conclusive. Overall, rams with severe enough parasite load to require deworming had lesser weights, which could impact profitability of sheep production and reinforced the need to select animals that had greater innate parasite resistance.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evaluating the relationship between fecal egg count, FAMACHA score, and weight in dewormed and non-dewormed Katahdin rams during a parasite challenge

Galyon

Zajac

Wright

et al. 2020

Translational Animal Science

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“…The FAMACHA © score ≥ 3 increased diagnostic sensitivity in these aforementioned categories, an important finding of the present study, guaranteed treatment of clinically ill animals. In weaned lambs, diagnostic efficacy using exclusively the FAMACHA© method was not proven (Cintra, Ollhoff, Weber, & Sotomaior, 2019). Accordingly, in addition to FAMACHA © , determining weight gain is also an important measure to be adopted for the haemonchosis clinical diagnosis and selective treatment in young animals.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

FAMACHA©: Predictive value for control of Haemonchus sp. in sheep from Brazilian Cerrado

Moreira

Mota

Câmara

et al. 2021

Semina: Ciênc. Agrár.

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This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of FAMACHA© method, correlating with packed cell volume (PCV) and egg count (FEC), as well as to evaluate the clinical signs of Haemonchus sp. infection in sheep from Brazilian Cerrado. Over two years (2017 to 2019), 1,435 sheep were subjected to clinical and parasitological evaluations. Sheep from six breeds (Santa Inês, Dorper, White Dorper, Ile de France, Suffolk, and crossbreed) were subdivided into five production categories (pregnant, lactating, non-pregnant/lactating ewes, breeding males, and weaned lambs). Parasitological evaluations included FEC and coproculture. In the clinical evaluation, all sheep underwent determination of the FAMACHA© score and PCV. Haemonchus sp. larvae were predominant in coprocultures of the flocks (76.4%) and in each animal production category evaluated (69.4 to 84.3%). FAMACHA© method showed high sensitivity (70.6%) for evaluating sheep with scores ≥ 3, and PCV < 23%, and high specificity (97.5%) in animals with higher scores (4 and 5), and PCV < 18%. A negative correlation was observed between FAMACHA© scores and PCV (-0.46) and between PCV and FEC (-0.47), while a positive correlation was observed between FAMACHA© scores and FEC (0.22) (p < 0.01). The vast majority of the animals evaluated (54.5%) were clinically resistant to gastrointestinal parasites. Due to the high sensitivity and specificity, we concluded that the method could be a valuable diagnostic alternative and an ancillary tool in the implementation of selective treatment for helminthic infection in sheep from Brazilian Cerrado.

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“…However, there are questions regarding its impact on productivity. Most published research on this topic indicates no negative effect [ 51 – 54 ], but authors have pointed to potential losses [ 46 , 55 ], mainly when FAMACHA© is used in lambs [ 56 , 57 ]. The FAMACHA® system is considered to be one of the best TST criteria in ewes [ 51 , 52 , 58 ].…”

Section: Famacha®mentioning

confidence: 99%

Practical guide to the diagnostics of ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes, liver fluke and lungworm infection: interpretation and usability of results

et al. 2023

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The diagnostics of ruminant parasites remains one of the cornerstones for parasite control best practices. Field veterinarians have several techniques at their disposal (fecal egg count, coproculture, FAMACHA®, plasma pepsinogen, ELISA-Ostertagia, ELISA-Fasciola, Baermann and ELISA-Lungworm) for the identification and/or quantification of gastrointestinal nematodes, lungworms and liver fluke infecting small ruminants and cattle. Each of these diagnostic tools has its own strengths and weaknesses and is more appropriate for a specific production operation and/or age of the animal (young and adults). This review focuses on the usability and interpretation of the results of these diagnostic tools. The most advanced technical information on sampling, storage, advantages and limitations of each tool for different types of production operations and animal categories is provided. Graphical abstract

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Is the Famacha© system always the best criterion for targeted selective treatment for the control of haemonchosis in growing lambs?

Cited by 14 publications

References 23 publications

Evaluating the relationship between fecal egg count, FAMACHA score, and weight in dewormed and non-dewormed Katahdin rams during a parasite challenge

Evaluating the relationship between fecal egg count, FAMACHA score, and weight in dewormed and non-dewormed Katahdin rams during a parasite challenge

FAMACHA©: Predictive value for control of Haemonchus sp. in sheep from Brazilian Cerrado

Practical guide to the diagnostics of ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes, liver fluke and lungworm infection: interpretation and usability of results

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