04/24/2026
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.
