Goat Health Flashcards
What are the most common issues related to goat health?
- neonatal diarrhea
- clostridial disease
- gut worms
- foot rot
- caseous lymphadenitis
- caprine arthritis encephalitis
- mastitis
What are the two goat farming systems?
- Dairy kid: raised on milk/replacer and concentrate
- meat, fibre, weed control, pet: dam raised
Which of the two goat farming systems is more at risk for neonatal diarrhea?
Dairy kids raised on milk replacers
What are the causes of neonatal diarrhea pre-weaning?
- nutrition
- Enterotoxigenic E. coli
- Salmonella spp.
- Cl. Perfringens B and C
- Viruses (Rota, Corona, Herpes)
- Crypto, coccidia
What are the signs of neonatal diarrhea?
- dehydration
- acidosis
- weight loss
- death
When is neonatal diarrhea diagnosed?
Upon showing clinical signs
Why would you need to find the specific cause of neonatal diarrhea?
When you suspect the cause may be a zoonotic disease such as coccidiosis or salmonella
What is the treatment for neonatal diarrhea?
- replacement of hydration loss
- oral electrolytes
- IV fluids and electrolytes if severe
What are the methods to preventing neonatal diarrhea?
- nutrition (consistent feeding: volume, timing, and temp)
- colostrum
How much colostrum should a newborn goat have?
- 150 ml/kg divided into 3 or 4 feeds
- then 200 ml/kg/day
What causes Clostridial disease?
- anaerobic bacteria found in soil
What are the signs of Clostridial disease in goats?
- dependent on specific clostridium
- all commonly end in death before clinical signs present, then diagnosed post mortem
When should dams be vaccinated for Clostridial disease?
- 1 course 4-6 weeks apart, then every 6 months
- vaccinate 4-6 weeks before parturition
When should a goat kid be vaccinated for Clostridial disease?
- start at 3 weeks if born from an unvaccinated dam
- 8 weeks if from a vaccinated dam
What kind of worms do goats get?
sheep worms
What are the signs of parasites in goats?
- slow weight gain
- thin, lack of subcutaneous fat
- poor coat, facial hair standing up
- feces usually normal
- pot bellied
- bottle jaw
- pale mucous membranes
- dehydration
- lethargy
- death
How to reduce the effects of worms?
- reduce challenge from the environment (browsing not grazing, keep with other stock that aren’t sheep, make hay)
- use wormers only when necessary (ensure refugia)
What is foot rot?
Infectious lameness; the most common lameness in goats
What is the treatment for foot rot in goats?
- injection of antibiotics as soon as seen lame
- avoid foot trimming if possible (except in housed goats that require it)
How to prevent foot rot in goats?
- manage the environment
- cull goats/sheep with repeated cases
What is caseous lymphadenitis in goats?
- an infection
- most common disease (by farm) identified by DGC farmers
- abscesses are normal for goats, but these are infected and “cheesy”
What are the signs of caseous lymphadenitis in goats?
- weight loss, especially if internal
- reduction in carcass quality
How to prevent caseous lymphadenitis?
- biosecurity
- vaccination
What is Caprine arthritis encephalitis?
- slow virus
- kids get infected but signs usually seen in yearlings and adult goats
