Goats: Management and Impact of Pests and Diseases Flashcards
What is mouthing?
Mouthing is used to determine the age of a goat, check for loss of teeth, condition of the teeth and check for any diseases or foreign material.
How do you mouth?
To mouth, hold the goat’s muzzle and use your thumb to lift up the upper lip.
What is drenching?
Drenching is the practice of syringing medication into the animal’s mouth to get rid of internal parasites like roundworms, flukes and tapeworms.
What is the 1st process of drenching?
It is best to have 2 people when drenching. One person should be holding the animal while the other does the drenching.
What is the 2nd process of drenching?
If the goats are small, the neck can be straddled and the legs can be used as a chute around the front end of the animal.
What is the 3rd process of drenching?
The syringe must be inserted towards the left side of the animal’s mouth. It should be placed over the tongue’s base towards the back of the throat.
What is the 4th process of drenching?
The animal’s head must be slightly raised to ensure that they swallow the medication and the mouth should not be closed.
What is important to do when drenching?
It is important to read the label of the medication carefully to ensure correct administration and dosage.
What is muscle scoring?
Muscle score is a measure of shape without the influence of fatness.
How does muscle scoring work?
More heavily muscled goat has higher dressing percentages and higher retail goat meat yields, both of which are drivers of profitability. It is therefore desirable to select for increased muscling.
Where are the four best sites to feel when assessing goats for muscle scoring?
Long ribs, end of short loin ribs, top of the backbone and the eye muscle.
How do you muscle score a goat in the long ribs?
Feel over the area where the GR measurement would be taken on the carcase (that is 110 mm from the backline along the second last long rib) for the amount of tissue over the ribs and ease with which individual ribs can be felt. Fingers should be moved through the fibre to get onto the skin. Use tips or balls of fingers.
How do you muscle score a goat in the end of short loin ribs?
A good indication of musculature and fat cover can be obtained by placing the thumb on the top of the backbone and fingers over the ends of the short loin ribs. Move hands back and forth along the spine, feeling the amount of tissue over the backbone and ends of the short ribs. Note also the ease with which individual bones can be felt.
How do you muscle score a goat in the top of the backbone?
The area to be felt is the top of the backbone in the long rib and short loin areas. It can be felt with the thumb at the same time as the fingers are feeling the long ribs and ends of the short loin ribs.
How do you muscle score a goat in the eye muscle?
The shape of the eye muscle is felt in the short loin area. It can be felt with the thumb or fingers at the same time the ends of the short loin ribs and the top of the backbone are being assessed.
