The Five-Point Check: Spot Early Signs of Internal Parasites in Your Livestock

Parasites might be small, but their impact on livestock productivity is huge. In the Eastern Cape, where grazing conditions can shift quickly with rainfall, veld type and stocking pressure, parasite control remains one of the biggest challenges facing farmers.

The good news?

You can manage it effectively and affordably, with a simple system known as the Five-Point Check. This practical approach helps you spot early signs of internal parasites and take action before losses begin.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸...

1)       𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀

Check the inside of the lower eyelid. Pale or whitish membranes can indicate anaemia caused by blood-sucking worms like the wireworm.

2)        𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲

Watch for nasal discharge or sneezing both could be signs of possible lungworm or nasal bot infections, often seen in cool, damp conditions.

3)       𝗝𝗮𝘄

Swelling under the jaw is an early warning of a heavy worm burden or liver fluke infection. Once swelling appears, the animal’s already under stress, so early detection is key.

4)        𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮

Soiling around the tail shows diarrhoea linked to intestinal worms. It’s an easy indicator during handling and signals a need to review grazing and dosing routines.

5)       𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 / 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸

Run your hand along the backbone and ribs. A drop in condition, especially in otherwise healthy animals, often points to parasite pressure.

For a deeper dive on how to assess and track your livestock’s condition, check out our full guide on Body Condition Scoring (BCS) here.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀...

Our province’s unique mix of variable veld, seasonal changes, and communal grazing creates the perfect conditions for parasites to thrive. Young livestock, in-lamb ewes and goats, and lactating stock are especially vulnerable these are often the groups hardest hit.

The cost of doing nothing can be steep: repeated dosing, slower growth rates, fertility losses, and higher mortality.

By using the Five-Point Check, you move toward selective treatment, which means saving money, protecting drench effectiveness, and improving herd health over time.

Good grazing management plays a key role too: rest camps, rotate species, and avoid heavy grazing in high-risk pastures where larvae build up.

And for many smaller producers without large veterinary budgets, the Five-Point Check provides a simple, hands-on way to identify problems early and act before calling in a vet.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺...

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺:

Choose a reliable person to walk through your livestock every 2–3 weeks (and weekly in high-risk seasons) to apply the Five-Point Check.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀:

Mark animals that consistently show symptoms, record treatments, and consider culling those that repeatedly fall behind.

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:

Rather than dosing all animals, treat only those that need it. This preserves the ‘refugia’ (the population of worms that haven’t been exposed to chemicals), which helps prevent resistance from building up.

However, there are times when treating the whole flock is the right call. If you notice that more than about 10% of your livestock are showing serious signs of parasite stress, it’s often safer to dose the full group or move them to a clean camp if grazing conditions allow.

garden enthusiasts

𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻:

Rotate camps, alternate grazing species, and rest paddocks to reduce parasite buildup in pastures.

𝗔 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵:

The Five-Point Check system is backed by veterinary and agricultural research in South Africa and abroad. Studies show that targeted, selective parasite control reduces chemical resistance and supports long-term herd health.

Sustainable parasite control principles, like monitoring, resistance management, and pasture knowledge, align closely with this approach and are now considered best practice in many parts of the world.

At Stutt Trading, we’re here to help you put these steps into practice.

We stock reliable drenches, vaccines, and livestock supplements.

Smart parasite control isn’t about drenching more often — it’s about monitoring smarter, treating selectively, and managing grazing effectively.