Famacha implementation, Malelane, South Africa, June 2013

FAMACHA (FAffa MAlan CHArt) is a selective treatment method for controlling the level of parasitic barber's pole worm (''Haemonchus contortus'', also known as twisted wireworm) among domesticated small

ruminant Ruminants (suborder Ruminantia) are ungulate, hoofed herbivorous grazing or browsing mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by Enteric fermentation, fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally ...

populations. In contrast with earlier, more aggressive approaches, under FAMACHA only certain

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated s ...

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

s in a flock are selected for treatment. Selection for treatment is based on the degree of

anaemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...

the animals are displaying in their mucous membranes, which is assessed through a colour guided chart.

Background

The FAMACHA method of selective treatment was developed by three South African researchers (Drs Francois Malan, Gareth Bath and Jan van Wyk) against the backdrop of major

anthelmintic Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. They may a ...

resistance in South Africa. However, the method has since been implemented successfully in various locations around the world. The aim of the method is to maintain a sufficient susceptible ''H. contortus'' worm population (‘refugia’) on the pasture. By only dosing those sheep in critical need of treatment, selection for worms resistant against treatment is retarded, while at the same time the farmer can monitor and cull those sheep with a poor natural resistance against these worms.

Procedure

Anaemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...

(as observed in the mucous membrane of the eye) is assessed via a colour guided chart: a sheep with a score of 1 having a pink-red mucous membrane colour and not requiring treatment for haemonchosis; whereas a sheep with a score of 5 has white mucous membranes, requiring immediate dosing for haemonchosis and probably intensive medical treatment.

References

{{reflist

External links

FAMACHA System - American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (ACSRPC)
Veterinary helminthology