On April 22, 2023, Dr. Jerusha Lay, Morgan Wemmer, and I conducted our clinic on Parasitology for a group of sheep and goat producers at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration farm.  The goal of this clinic is to educate producers on the types of parasites that are common to sheep and goats, and demonstrate on how to use a microscope and specified testing materials to run fecal tests for these parasites.

               Parasites are a major problem for sheep and goat producers.  80-90% of their losses are due to parasite infestation.  This clinic serves as education on preventative healthcare for herds, as well as guidance on what to do for vaccinations, namely what to vaccinate for and for how long.  It also helps give them the tools they need to be able to spot signs of parasite infection more readily and to determine how bad of a problem they have.

               Dr. Lay gave a presentation on parasites and symptoms, then talked about how to conduct fecal egg float and fecal egg count tests.  She demonstrated step-by-step on how to conduct each test on a fecal sample, then examine the samples under a microscope.  Upon conclusion of the clinic, attendees stated they were very satisfied with the clinic and stated they learned something new that day from it.   A post-clinic evaluation was given to attendees and, based on analysis of the results of the surveys, all stated they had learned valuable information and would employ the use of the knowledge and skills they gained from the clinic to improve their livestock management.