I often get asked about parasites and parasite control and its not easy to answer as every worming program should be tailored specifically to the individual alpaca farm: There is no "one size fits all approach when it comes to parasite control in alpacas.

So next time your vet is coming by take 15 minutes to talk through what you want to achieve. In general though, breeders need to be concerned about the potential
for parasite drug resistance in our alpacas since indiscriminate use of anthelmintics (these are drugs to treat internal parasites, e.g. Panacur, Safeguard, Ivermectin, etc) can lead to "problem parasites" and we only have a limited number of drugs at our disposal. For this reason, periodic fecal exams and occasional use of anthelmintic drugs is the responsible way to ensure that your alpaca herd remains disease-free.

Some alpaca farms may only require dosing for gastro-intestinal parasites twice a year and others may need to worm every 2 months. The frequency of worming depends a lot on your stocking density and management practices such as pasture rotation.

Always dose alpacas individually based on weights: Purchase a set of scales for your barn and use them before administering any drugs. Under-dosing is the easiest way to induce drug resistant parasites.

Fecal samples should be taken from individual alpacas and not from a communal dung piles. This is important because it allows you to identify a particular animals with problems and may show up patterns if you have a herd parasite problem.

Ideally use a latex exam glove with a little lubrication and take the faeces directly from the rectum. Collect a good size sample - about half a cup is ideal though labs can work with
less. Put it in a clean pot or Ziploc bag and clearly label with the alpacas name and the date. Take samples fresh and send away or give to your veterinarian the same day as soon as possible to prevent deterioration of the sample.

Parasites cannot be eradicated but you can keep the burden in each animal at a tolerable level