Parasite Problems and Novel Solutions for Small Ruminants. with Drs. Anne LeBoeuf and Denise Bélanger. Animal Health Insights, Ep. 12. Jan. 24, 2022

When it comes to providing veterinary care for small ruminants like sheep and goats, one of the most frustrating challenges for production can be the management of parasitic infections. Individual farms vary widely in their amount of pasture, availability of other species for pasture rotations, and their general deworming and parasite management protocols. Often a veterinarian is called in to address only the most severe flock or herd parasitic issues, and it can be challenging to get a program in place to bring these animals back from a severe infestation.

As part of disease surveillance work in Quebec, a unique program was created to connect veterinarians and producers, and to establish a targeted parasite management plans for the province’s sheep flocks and goat herds. Dr. Anne Leboeuf, a veterinarian who previously led the Quebec RAIZO disease surveillance network for small ruminants, and Dre. Denise Bélanger, a professor emeritus at the St-Hyacinthe Vet Faculty, epidemiologist, and a sheep producer, share information about this PISAQ Parasite management campaign and how it has improved understanding of the risk factors for Quebec flocks and herds. 

Links of Interest: 

• Gestion intégrée du parasitisme gastro-intestinal - CEPOQ
• PISAQ ​​​​​​​​Campagne nº 7 : Visite zoosanitaire dans les élevages ovins et caprins
• Programme intégré de santé animale du Québec (PISAQ)
• Fact sheets - Santé biodiversité, avortment, reproduction | CEPOQ (English Fact Sheets)