WORMS IN ALPACAS

Alpacas in Australia are susceptible to both cattle and sheep nematodes, trematodes and cestodes.

Common worms in alpacas include:

1. Gastronintestinal Nematodes (Round Worms)

Black scour worm (Trichostrongylus sp.)
Small brown stomach worm (Teladorsagia/Ostertagia)
Thin necked intestinal worm (Nematodirus sp.)
Small intestinal worm (Cooperia oncophora)

These parasites can cause conditions from mild weight-loss to scouring, blood loss and death if left uncontrolled. Tapeworm appear to cause minimal problems in alpacas.

Other worms include:

Barbers pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) (particularly in summer rainfall zones)
Whipworm (Trichuris sp)

2. Flukes (Trematodes)

Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is an important parasite in certain areas where conditions are suitable for the intermediate host, an aquatic snail.

3. Cestodes (Tapeworm)

Moniezia spp

4. Coccidia (Eimeria)

Coccidia are microscopic protozoal parasites not worms.

COMMON ALPACA WORMS Table 4.1

Common Name	Scientific Name
Most Important Roundworms
Black scour worm/stomach hair worm	Trichostrongylus sp.
Small brown stomach worm	Teladorsagia/Ostertagia
Thin necked intestinal worm	Nematodirus sp.
Small intestinal worm	Cooperia oncophora
Other Roundworms
Barbers pole	Haemonchus contortus (particularly in summer rainfall regions)
Whipworm	Trichuris sp.
Trematodes (flukes)
Liver fluke	Fasciola hepatica

Source: Love S, 2017. Alpaca worms - an overview. NSW DPI Primefact 991. Accessed October 2019 at: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/318217/Alpaca-worms-an-overview.pdf

GUIDE TO WORM EGG COUNTS IN ALPACAS – Table 4.2

Egg type and egg counts
	Strongyles	Nematodes	Nematodes+Strongyles
Crias, weaners	>350	>100	>250
Tuis, adults	>125	>50	>75

Source: Carmichael IH, 2014. Internal parasitism in Australian alpacas. Proceedings of the Australian Alpaca Association National Conference, Adelaide. May 9-11 2014 pp. 13-28

Protect your Alpacas

All Alpacas with access to grassland are prone to parasitism. Once on the pasture, some infective larvae can survive for more than a year. Although the numbers of larvae on ungrazed pastures are likely to decline over the winter, they will not be eliminated. Therefore, a single treatment of an infected animal will not prevent reinfection.

Because alpacas tend to use a communal dung heap known as a ‘latrine’, they spread fewer parasites across paddocks than other livestock Even still, an alpaca grazing near the dung heap can pick up significant numbers of worm larvae

Young Alpacas tolerate worms fairly well compared with other young livestock species. However certain management practices such as high stocking rates and the spreading of manure from ‘latrines’ onto pasture to improve nutrient levels and high rainfall can all increase the pastures contamination and intake of worm larvae. Adult Aplacas tend to be more resistant to worms. It is also possible for Alpacas to be infected by different worms at the same time.

Effective worm control

Woem egg counts (WECs) should be an essential part of your herd management. They will help you:

Only treat your Alpacas when necessary

Use a targeted treatment

Predict future heavy worm burdens

Monitor the effectiveness of your worm control programme.

Slow the rate of ANTHELMINTIC RESISTANCE (AR)

The aim of effective worm control is to stop worms completing their lifecycle and prevent future contamination.

A WEC tells you about your animal’s parasite burden at a single point in time. However, the lifecycle of a worm includes several larval stages that do not show in WECs. So even if the test results show no evidence of active adult worms, Alpacas may still carry a worm burden. Therefore, to build an accurate picture of your animal’s internal health, you should repeat the test regularly.