Auravale Alpacas

25/04/2026

ONE WEEK TO GO!

In celebration of National Alpaca Week, Auravale Alpacas will be open for visitors on Sunday May 3rd from 10.30 am to 3pm.

Come meet our newest arrivals - 14 adorable cria all born over last 6 weeks.

Alpaca and fleece sales, fun facts and learn about alpaca care.

Visit our website to learn more:
www.auravalealpacas.com.au

23/04/2026

FAMACHA scores are an important tool for alpaca health. Auravale clients will have this score system in their Alpaca Information Package forwarded when they purchased alpacas. For those that don’t have it an internet search will find it for you.

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?

⸻

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.”

⸻

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.

⸻

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

⸻

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

⸻

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.

⸻

System-Level Takeaway

FAMACHA tells you:

• how the animal is responding

It does not tell you:

• what the parasite is doing in the system

⸻

Why This Matters

Because if you rely on it alone:

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

⸻

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.

⸻

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.

21/04/2026

Barber Pole Worm in Sheep & Goats — ARTICLE 5

Resistance vs Resilience — Why That Distinction Matters

By now, you’ve seen the pattern.

The parasite is present in most systems.
It cycles continuously.
And at certain points, the balance shifts.

But under the same conditions… not all animals respond the same way.

Some struggle.

Some don’t.

⸻

This Is Where the Conversation Usually Goes

You’ll often hear:

“Breed for parasite resistance.”

That sounds straightforward.

But in practice, what people are seeing—and what they’re selecting for—is often something different.

⸻

Two Very Different Concepts

Resistance

Resistance is the ability to:

- prevent infection
- limit the number of worms that establish

A resistant animal:

- carries fewer parasites
- sheds fewer eggs

⸻

Resilience

Resilience is the ability to:

- tolerate the parasite
- maintain condition despite infection

A resilient animal may:

- carry a parasite burden
- still appear healthy
- continue to perform

⸻

One limits the parasite.
The other tolerates it.

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What Resilience Actually Looks Like

With a parasite like Haemonchus contortus, which feeds on blood, resilience often shows up as:

- better recovery from blood loss
- maintenance of red blood cell levels
- ability to hold weight and continue eating
- delayed or reduced visible signs like anemia or edema

⸻

Resilience isn’t fewer worms—it’s a better response to them.

⸻

Why This Gets Confused

In real-world systems, these two can look very similar.

An animal that:

- maintains weight
- raises lambs
- has a good FAMACHA score

…is often labeled as “resistant.”

But that animal may still be:

- carrying parasites
- shedding eggs
- contributing to pasture contamination

⸻

What looks like resistance is often resilience.

⸻

The Resilience Trap

This is where it becomes important.

Some of the best-looking animals on a farm:

- always seem to “do fine”
- don’t show obvious signs
- rarely get pulled for treatment

But when you actually check them…

They’re often the ones:

- carrying a parasite load
- shedding eggs into the environment

⸻

The best-looking animal in the pasture is sometimes the one contaminating it the most.

⸻

Why That Happens

Resilient animals:

- don’t show problems early
- don’t trigger concern
- don’t get checked or tested

So they stay in the system…

while contributing to parasite pressure.

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A Note on Males (Important Nuance)

You may notice this more in males.

Not necessarily because they are inherently more resilient…

But because they are not under the same physiologic stress as females in late gestation and early lactation.

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They don’t hit the tipping point as easily—so the problem stays hidden longer.

⸻

Resilience Is System-Dependent

You’ll often hear:

“My animals are parasite resistant.”

But in many cases, what that really means is:

“My animals are performing well under the conditions I raise them in.”

⸻

That performance is influenced by:

- parasite pressure
- nutrition
- environment
- management

⸻

Resilience doesn’t exist in isolation… it exists within a system.

⸻

Animals that perform well in one system may not perform the same way in another.

Not because the animal changed…

but because the pressures around it did.

⸻

What looks like resistance is often resilience, and that resilience is often specific to the system it developed in.

⸻

This Connects Back to Everything We’ve Covered

- The parasite is already present
- The system is always cycling
- The animal’s ability to control it shifts over time

So when you evaluate animals, you’re not just asking:

“Do they have worms?”

You’re asking:

“How do they respond to the pressure—and what are they contributing to the system?”

⸻

System-Level Takeaway

Resistance and resilience are not the same thing.

And understanding the difference helps you:

- interpret what you’re seeing
- avoid misclassifying animals
- make better selection decisions
- manage parasite pressure more effectively

⸻

Why This Matters

Because without this distinction:

- good performers can be misunderstood
- high shedders can go unnoticed
- system-level pressure can remain elevated

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Next Article

If animals can look good while still carrying parasites, the next question is:

How do you actually evaluate that in a practical setting?

In the next article, we’ll look at tools like FAMACHA and what they do, and don’t, tell you.

⸻

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.

20/04/2026

Much better to buy natural fibres. Synthetics may be cheap initially but the cost to the environment is not!!!

WOOL vs SYNTHETICS (petrochemical gear) – the real lifecycle 👀🐑

We get asked a bit about “what’s actually better?” so here’s a simple timeline view.

Wool:
• Grown on-farm every year (renewable fibre)
• Shorn, processed, spun, knitted/woven
• Worn for years (and it keeps doing the job)
• Can be repaired, handed down, repurposed
• At end of life it breaks down as a natural fibre

Synthetics:
• Starts with crude oil extraction + refining
• Turned into plastic polymers (like polyester)
• Often shorter wear life (especially in hard-use gear)
• Sheds microfibres in washing and wear
• Persists for decades+ in landfill, and contributes to microplastic pollution

Big picture: the most sustainable garment is the one you wear the longest. If it lasts, gets repaired, and keeps you warm, that’s a win.

We’re bloody proud of the wool industry and the people behind it – farmers, shed crews, woolhandlers, classers, brokers, processors, and everyone in between. 💪

19/04/2026

Barber Pole Worm in Sheep and Goats — ARTICLE 4

Why Late Gestation and Early Lactation Change Everything

If the parasite is present in most systems…
and always cycling…

Why do problems seem to show up suddenly?

Why do animals that looked fine weeks ago begin to decline?

⸻

This Is Where the Animal Becomes the Variable

Haemonchus contortus doesn’t suddenly become more aggressive.

The animal’s ability to control it changes.

⸻

During late gestation, the demands on the animal shift.

- Energy requirements increase.
- Nutrients are prioritized toward fetal growth.
- The immune system becomes less effective at controlling parasites.

This isn’t a failure.

It’s a shift in priorities.

The animal is prioritizing reproduction systems over parasite control.

⸻

When that control weakens, the balance begins to change.

- Worms that were being held in check are less suppressed.
- Arrested larvae can begin to resume development.
- Egg production increases.

At the same time, exposure doesn’t stop.

The animal is still grazing.
The environment is still part of the cycle.

The balance shifts.

⸻

This period — late gestation into early lactation— is known as the periparturient rise.

- Parasite burden increases.
- Egg shedding increases.
- Pasture contamination increases with it.

Not because the parasite changed…

Because the host did.

⸻

What makes this important is that it doesn’t stay isolated to one animal.

- As egg shedding increases, pasture contamination builds.
- As pasture contamination builds, exposure increases across the group.

What started as a physiologic shift in one animal becomes:

a population-level event.

⸻

From the outside, this often feels sudden.

Animals looked fine… and then they weren’t.

But the system was already in motion.

- The parasite was already present at some level.
- The environment was already part of the cycle.
- The animal’s ability to control it was what changed.

You’re not seeing the start of the problem —you’re seeing the tipping point (thus the scale analogy for the article image).

⸻

This is often where things get misinterpreted.

It’s blamed on:

- weather
- pasture
- a “bad worm year”

Those factors matter.

But they don’t explain why it is so much more likely to happen at this specific point in the animal’s cycle.

⸻

The Critical Clarification *Important*

This isn’t the only time the balance can shift.

Periods of stress, poor nutrition, or heavy exposure can create similar effects.

But late gestation and early lactation are when this shift happens most predictably.

⸻

System-Level Takeaway

Parasite pressure isn’t just about the parasite.

It’s the interaction between:

- the environment
- the lifecycle
- the condition of the animal

When those line up…

pressure increases quickly.

⸻

Why This Matters

This changes how you think about:

- timing of interventions
- nutritional support
- which animals are most at risk

⸻

Next Article

If some animals struggle more than others under the same conditions, the next question is:

Why?

In the next article, we’ll look at the difference between resistance and resilience — why the term “resistance” is often overused — and why that distinction matters more than most people realize.

⸻

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.

16/04/2026

Barber Pole Worm in Sheep & Goats —
ARTICLE 2

The Lifecycle: The Engine Behind Everything

Most parasite problems feel random.

Animals are fine… until they’re not.
You treat… and it comes back.

That only feels random if you don’t understand the lifecycle.

⸻

This Is Not a One-Time Event

Haemonchus contortus is not something that “shows up.”

It is something that is constantly cycling between:

* the animal
* the environment
* and back again

If you don’t understand that cycle, nothing else will make sense.

⸻

Step 1 — Eggs Leave the Animal

Adult worms live in the abomasum and lay eggs.

Those eggs:

* pass out in manure
* land directly onto pasture

At this point, nothing is infective yet.

This is just the beginning.

⸻

Step 2 — Eggs Hatch (L1 Stage)

If conditions are right, the eggs hatch into L1 larvae.

L1 are:

* microscopic
* active
* feeding

They feed on bacteria in the manure.

⸻

What L1 Needs

* moisture — without it, they dry out and die
* moderate temperatures — not extreme heat or cold
* manure environment — this is their food source

Manure isn’t just waste—it’s a nursery.

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Step 3 — Growth (L2 Stage)

L1 develop into L2 larvae.

L2 are:

* still feeding
* still dependent on moisture
* still living in or near manure

This stage is about growth and preparation.

⸻

Step 4 — Infective Stage (L3)

L2 develop into L3 larvae.

This is the stage that changes everything.

⸻

L3 Are Different

L3:

* do not feed
* are encased in a protective sheath
* are built for survival, not growth

⸻

What L3 Are Waiting For

They are waiting to be eaten.

That’s their entire purpose.

⸻

What L3 Need to Survive

* moisture (dew, rain, humidity)
* protection (shade, grass, manure microclimates)
* time

They move:

* out of manure
* onto grass blades

using moisture as a film to travel.

⸻

How L3 Reach the Animal

L3 larvae don’t just appear on grass.

They rely on moisture—dew, rain, humidity—to move out of manure and onto vegetation.

Without that moisture, they stay lower in the environment and are less likely to be consumed.

⸻

Most larvae are concentrated closer to the ground, especially near where manure is present.

But with enough moisture, they can move higher on the plant than people expect.

⸻

This Is the Critical Point

This is the infective stage.

If an animal eats L3, the cycle continues.

If not:

* they eventually die
* but not as quickly as people think

⸻

How Long L3 Can Survive

L3 are not built to grow—they are built to last.

Under favorable conditions:

* they can survive for weeks to months

That depends on:

* moisture
* temperature
* protection (shade, manure, grass cover)

⸻

In hot, dry conditions:

* survival drops off quickly

But in cooler, moist environments:
they can persist much longer than most people expect.

⸻

How Fast This Happens (The Part That Surprises People)

Under the right conditions:

* Egg to L3 can happen in as little as 4–7 days

That means:

* warm temperatures
* consistent moisture
* active manure environment

⸻

If conditions are poor:

* it can take weeks
* or fail completely

⸻

This Is Why It Feels Unpredictable

Because it’s not running on a fixed timeline.

It’s running on:

* weather
* moisture
* environment

A week of rain can do more than a month of dry weather.

⸻

Step 5 — Back Into the Animal

When L3 are ingested:

* they enter the digestive system
* shed their protective layer
* develop into adults in the abomasum

Then:

* they attach
* feed on blood
* and begin producing eggs

⸻

This Is the Engine

Egg → L1 → L2 → L3 → Animal → Egg

Over and over.

⸻

Why Treatment Alone Fails

If you only focus on the animal:

* you kill the worms inside
* but the pasture is still contaminated

So what happens next?

They get reinfected.

⸻

A Quick Reality Check About Confinement

This is where people get tripped up.

No pasture does not mean no problem.

⸻

In confinement:

* there is no grass for larvae to climb
* but manure is still present
* and moisture still exists

⸻

That means:

* eggs are still shed
* larvae can still develop
* and animals can still ingest them

⸻

How Reinfection Happens Without Grass

Instead of grazing, exposure happens through:

* contaminated bedding
* feed areas
* water sources
* high-traffic manure zones

⸻

What Changes (and What Doesn’t)

What changes:

* distribution of larvae
* how animals encounter them

What does not:

* the lifecycle
* the cycle itself

⸻

You did not remove the cycle—you changed where it happens.

Changing the environment changes the pattern—but it does not remove the system.

⸻

System-Level Takeaway

You are not fighting worms.

You are interacting with a cycle that depends on environment, timing, and animal exposure.

Break the cycle in the right place, and pressure drops.

Ignore it, and it builds.

⸻

Next Article

If this cycle is always running, then the obvious question is:

Why does it come back after winter?

In the next article, we will look at how this parasite survives the cold—and why it returns even when you think it should not.

⸻

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.

15/04/2026

Barber Pole Worm in Sheep & Goats — ARTICLE 1

What Barber Pole Worm Actually Is

Most people think of worms as a digestion problem.

Something that causes diarrhea.
Something that lives in the gut.
Something you “clean out.”

That’s not what this is.

⸻

This Is Not a Gut Problem

The Barber Pole Worm — Haemonchus contortus — does not primarily damage the digestive system.

It doesn’t work by irritating the intestines.
It doesn’t need to.

It feeds on blood.

⸻

Where the Name Comes From

If you’ve ever seen one, the name makes sense immediately.

The worm has a distinct twisted appearance:
• a red stripe (blood-filled intestine)
• wrapped around a white reproductive tract

It looks like an old-fashioned barber pole.

That visual isn’t just interesting—it’s a clue.

This is a parasite built around blood feeding and reproduction.

⸻

What It Actually Does

This parasite attaches to the lining of the abomasum (the true stomach) and feeds directly from blood vessels.

Not a little.

Continuously.

Each worm removes a small amount.
But animals don’t carry just one.

They carry:
• dozens
• hundreds
• sometimes thousands

So what you’re seeing is a slow, steady loss of blood happening inside the animal.

⸻

Why That Matters

Most of you know how important blood is:

It carries:
• oxygen
• protein
• nutrients

So when blood is lost, multiple systems start to fail at the same time.

This is why Barber Pole Worm doesn’t look like a typical parasite problem.

You often don’t see explosive diarrhea like you would expect with a typical gut parasite.

You see:
• pale eyelids
• weakness
• bottle jaw (fluid swelling under the jaw)
• animals that just don’t keep up

And sometimes…

You see nothing at all—until it’s too late.

⸻

This Is the Pattern

This is where people get misled.

They’re trained to look for:
• scours
• rough hair coats
• visible illness

But this parasite is designed to work quietly.

By the time you see the problem:

It’s already been happening for weeks.

⸻

Why It’s So Dangerous

Because it doesn’t announce itself.

It doesn’t create obvious early warning signs.

It creates progressive loss:
• less blood
• less oxygen delivery
• less resilience

Until the animal reaches a point where it can’t compensate anymore.

And then it crashes.

⸻

What This Changes

If you understand this one thing:

You are not dealing with a “digestive issue”.
You are managing blood loss.

Everything else in this series will make more sense.
• Why some animals look fine… until they don’t
• Why lambs and kids crash so fast
• Why timing matters more than reaction
• Why some tools work—and others seem to fail

⸻

System-Level Takeaway

You’re not treating a problem—you’re managing a system.

And in this system:
• the parasite removes blood
• the animal tries to compensate
• and your management determines how long that balance holds

⸻

Next Article

Now that you understand what it is, we need to understand how it keeps happening.

Because nothing about this parasite is random.

In the next article, we’ll break down the lifecycle—the engine behind everything—and why the environment matters just as much as the animal.

⸻

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.

13/04/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

In celebration of National Alpaca Week, Auravale Alpacas will be open for visitors on Sunday May 3rd from 10.30 am to 3pm.

Come meet our newest arrivals - 14 adorable cria all born over last 6 weeks.

Alpaca and fleece sales, fun facts and learn about alpaca care.

Visit our website to learn more:
www.auravalealpacas.com.au

12/04/2026

“What is in the bag”. The alpacas/llamas were very inquisitive to find out what was in the bag when Naomi and Mark visited today. It was in fact a tiny cute poodle who had come for the walk-in the bag!

08/04/2026

Todays arrival, gestation 361 days and the last for our birthing season, demonstrated coming last is exhausting!

06/04/2026

Auravale welcomed two new arrivals over Easter. Goldleaf Fantome L’Opera and Fleur De Lys Blaze had a white female. Gunamatta. Keisha and Glenhope Po***ck a white male.