Research and Education Grant Examples

Gastrointestinal nematodes, and in particular the barber pole worm, are serious problems for small ruminant producers. As producers seek to reduce or eliminate reliance on chemical dewormers in favor of more sustainable solutions, there also is a need to research the efficacy of condensed tannins in cranberries and the effect of vitamin E, and to also improve practices through education and farm visits. As a result of this effort, 365 producers will reduce by 50% anthelmintic use and associated costs by implementing alternative parasite management techniques such as FAMACHA, body scoring, and fecal egg counts for detecting infection, and pasture management practices that minimize the transmission of parasites such as mixed-species grazing, pasture rotation, and breeding for resistance.