Moon Oaks Farm

Barber Pole Worm in Sheep & Goats — ARTICLE 6

FAMACHA — What It Tells You (And What It Doesn’t)

By now, you understand:

• the parasite is present in most systems
• it cycles continuously
• the animal’s ability to control it changes
• not all animals respond the same way

So the next question becomes:

How do you actually evaluate what’s happening in real time?

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What FAMACHA Is Designed To Do

FAMACHA is a tool used to evaluate anemia:

Specifically, it looks at anemia via:

• color of the lower eyelid
(as a reflection of red blood cell levels)

With a parasite like Haemonchus contortus, which feeds on blood, anemia becomes a key clinical sign.

FAMACHA was originally developed in South Africa by Dr. Faffa Malan as a targeted tool to identify anemia caused by barber pole worm.

It was never intended to diagnose overall parasite burden or function as a complete parasite control program.

The original FAMACHA program was a multi point evaluation, much different than what people now associate with a card comparing eyelid color.

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What FAMACHA Does Well

FAMACHA helps identify:

• animals that are becoming anemic
• animals that are struggling under parasite pressure
• animals that may need intervention

It helps you find the animals that are losing the balance.

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What FAMACHA Does NOT Tell You

This is where most confusion happens.

FAMACHA does not tell you:

• how many worms an animal has
• whether the animal is carrying parasites
• whether the pasture is contaminated
• which animals are contributing most to the system

FAMACHA measures the effect—not the cause.

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This Connects Directly to Resilience

From the previous article:

• some animals struggle
• some animals tolerate

A resilient animal may:

• maintain red blood cell levels
• have a good FAMACHA score
• appear completely normal

while still:

• carrying parasites
• shedding eggs

Again… I am in no way trying to beat up on FAMACHA. I personally feel it is ONE of the best tools we have to evaluate an animal.

I simply want to make the point:

A good FAMACHA score doesn’t mean “no worms.”

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The Limitation Most People Miss

If you only use FAMACHA:

You will identify:

• animals that are failing

But you may completely miss:

• animals that are quietly contributing to the problem

You’ll find the sick animals, but not always the source of the pressure.

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Where FAMACHA Fits in the System

FAMACHA is not a complete parasite program.

It is one tool within a larger system.

Used correctly, it helps do 3 very important things:

• guide targeted treatment
• reduce unnecessary deworming
• monitor clinical impact

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Used Alone, It Falls Short

If it’s the only tool being used:

• high shedders may go unnoticed
• pasture contamination can remain high
• system-level pressure does not change

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Why It Became Oversimplified

Over time, FAMACHA has been reduced to:

“Check eyelids → treat if pale”

But originally, it was meant to be part of:

• a broader assessment
• including body condition
• overall health
• and environmental context

It was never meant to stand alone.

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System-Level Takeaway

FAMACHA tells you:

• how the animal is responding

It does not tell you:

• what the parasite is doing in the system

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Why This Matters

Because if you rely on it alone:

• you may FEEL in control
• while parasite pressure continues underneath

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Next Article

If FAMACHA tells you how the animal is responding, the next question is:

How do you measure what the parasite is doing in the system?

In the next article, we’ll look at f***l egg counts (FEC)—what they show, what they don’t, and how they fit into the bigger picture.

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Good livestock management isn’t about always having the right answer — it’s about learning how to think when the answer isn’t obvious yet.