Teaching the next generation about worms.
Sericea lespedeza has been shown to reduce barber pole worm infections in small ruminants.
Hair sheep tend to be more resistant to gastro-intestinal parasites than wooled sheep or goats.
Dr. Steve Hart
Langston University
Langston, Oklahoma
Steve Hart is a retired Goat Extension Specialist from Langston University in Oklahoma. Worked as an Extension Specialist and conducting research at Langston since 1991 until his retirement in 2019. He received a BS degree in Dairy Science from Texas A & M in 1972. Following service in the Army during the end of the Vietnam conflict, he received a MS in Animal Nutrition from Texas A & M in 1971. He completed a Ph.D. in the Dairy Science Department at Virginia Tech in 1981 in Nutrition. He has conducted extension education programs in goat production and goat parasites in Oklahoma and has spoken to goat producers in over 20 states. He has taught many workshops on integrated parasite management both within and outside of Oklahoma. He conducted some of the first research showing the efficacy of sericea lespedeza in controlling parasites and has conducted a number of field studies using FAMACHA© and copper oxide wire particles. He has conducted a study on rotation grazing for controlling worms. Steve has investigated several herbs such as cayenne pepper, wormwood, and garlic for parasite control. He has written a number of articles in popular press magazines on parasite control and other subjects. Steve conducted research and extension in the area of nutrition and helped designed the Langston interactive nutrient calculator on Langston's web site. He wrote the chapters in the Meat Goat Handbook on Goat Nutrition and Goats for Vegetation Management. He continues to answer extension questions, speaks to producer groups and writes articles on goats for popular press magazines.
Publications
Timely Topic: How to Grow Worms (or Not) [March 2017]
Timely Topic: Why didn't deworming improve FAMACHA© score? [August 2015]
Parasite control with multi-species and rotational grazing
Potential solutions for highly resistant worms in sheep and goats [October 2013]
Timely Topic: Controlling worms in dairy goats: a challenge [September 2012]
Best Management Practices: Nutritional effects on parasites [October 2018]
Best Management Practices: Management [March 2020]
Articles: Worm Control in Goats [Goat Rancher Magazine, 2008]
Part 1: Meet the enemy
Part 2: Managing the barber pole worm
Part 3: Integrated parasite management with FAMACHA©
Part 4: Dewormers and dewormer resistance
Part 5: Alternative dewormers: do they work?
Part 6: Doing your own research and fecal egg counts
Podcasts
Roundworms in goats [June 2020]
Last updated 09.08.21