Tapeworm in sheep and goats: Is it really a problem?
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EmailTapeworms often cause concern among sheep and goat producers because the expelled worm segments in the animal’s feces.
Tapeworms are flat, ribbon-shaped parasites that live in the intestines of vertebrates, including humans. These long, segmented worms lack an intestinal tract and instead absorb nutrients through their skin. Adult tapeworms anchor themselves to the intestinal wall using hooks, spines or suckers on their head. The rest of the body is made up of flat segments that mature, break off, and pass out of the animal in the feces. Each expelled segment is packed with eggs.
Tapeworms must pass through an intermediate host to complete their life cycle. The species that infect sheep, goats and cattle all depend on pasture mites. These mites, which occur in large numbers in soil and plant material, consume the eggs shed in manure. Larval tapeworms develop inside the mites, and animals become infected when they ingest mites carrying these larvae. Once inside the host, the larvae take roughly six to seven weeks to mature into adults.
Studies show that tapeworms seldom cause serious health problems in sheep or goats, despite how concerning they may look. Animals that are not treated often develop natural immunity. When sheep or goats appear unthrifty and tapeworm segments are visible in the manure, the underlying issue is usually not tapeworms—commonly a nutritional deficiency or another parasite such as Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worm).
Michigan State University Extension recommends consulting a veterinarian before administering treatment, as deworming is not needed every time segments are seen. Additionally, the dewormers effective against tapeworms should not be used during pregnancy, as they may cause birth defects.
Significant health impacts from tapeworms generally occur only in cases of heavy infection. As with barber pole worm, the focus should be on controlling tapeworms only when necessary for the animal’s health or welfare.
