| Also known as: | Barber's pole worm |
| The most important veterinary species | contortus |
Haemonchus contortus is a nematode parasite from the family Trichostrongyloidea. It is found worldwide, and is an extremely important parasite of sheep and goats, particularly in tropical/ subtropical regions.
Within the UK, it is found most commonly in the South, where the climate tends to be a little warmer and drier. Some have shown complete resistance to current anthelemintics which is posing a real problem, making sheep and goat farming extremely difficult in some areas of the country.
- Haemonchus contortus (abomasum) - sheep
- 2cm long,barber's pole appearance when fresh
- Primarily a tropical/sub-tropical parasite, although may cause problems in the UK (was restricted to SE England but has spread north to Scotland due to warmer, wetter winters in recent years)
- Blood-sucking nematode (piercing "lancet" in buccal capsule of L4 and adult worms)