Use of plants containing bioactive compounds to control of helminths in the gastrointestinal tract, either as phytotherapeutic or nutraceutical options, has been a growing research area in recent years. We discuss strategies to identify viable candidate compounds with in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic properties. We also discuss factors which may influence in vitro and in vivo results, and difficulties of translating in vitro results to in vivo conditions are considered using experiences with small ruminants, as most published research on phytotherapeutic or nutraceutical materials has been in sheep and goats and has been reviewed recently. Therefore, we summarize results of various plant bioactive materials against helminth parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle, deer, rabbits, pigs and poultry, and conclude that many plant materials have resulted in promising results in many farm animal species besides sheep and goats. These bioactive materials may be used as a part of sustainable helminth control strategies. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V.