Fecal Egg Count & Soil Biology Microscope Lesson/Open Lab

Learn how to prepare and analyze a sample of your goat or sheep feces. This class is a great way for the hobbyist livestock owner to increase knowledge of small ruminant health. Inside goat/sheep manure, you can count the number of eggs that small ruminants get from being in the pasture. It is normal for small ruminants to have some eggs, but the amount matters when considering the animals' overall health in consultation with a veterinarian. This class is approved for 1 Continuing Education Unit in Agricultural Animal Pest Control.

We'll teach you how to analyze your sheep and goat's manure sample for parasite eggs! With this skill, you'll be able to determine quantities of eggs in your small ruminant.

We follow the same procedure as University of Rhode Island. View it here: Using-FEC_-Final2.pdf

The entire class is hand's on. Please bring a sample of your small ruminant feces and a sample of your homemade compost. During the same class, you can also look at your homemade compost under the microscope, discover the amazing world of soil biology, and get a qualitative assessment of fungi to bacteria ratio. Preparing a compost wet slide is also useful for making your compost or compost “tea” has sour (anaerobic) microbes in it.

We use a professional compound microscope. Learn about the microbes in your compost pile! Look at soil biology under the microscrope to help understand your soil health.

You'll learn how to identify:

• bacteria
• fungi
• protozoa
• nematodes
• dust mites

Also check out other Workshops in Callahan, Health & Wellness events in Callahan.