All posts tagged internal parasite

Haemonchus contortus, also known as the “Barber’s Pole Worm,” is a deadly nematode parasite that lives in grass during its infectious juvenile life stage, and as a result, is eaten by sheep as they are grazing. The worms travel along with the ingested food and will bury within the stomach wall of the abomasum of the animal, where it will spend the next major life stage as an adult. Mature female worms have the capacity to release 5-10 thousand eggs per day, which are then released from the abomasum and make their way into the feces. While in the feces, the eggs will hatch and become the infectious juvenile life stage that is found in pastures. This blood-sucking parasite conducts its…