L13: Small Ruminant P&P (Maunsell) Flashcards
what % of the world’s goat pop. lives in developing countries
96%!
- more goats than cattle worldwide
- most widely distributed of any mammalian livestock species (about 1 billion total)
uses of goats
meat (1st use) fiber dairy: milk, cheese (2nd) skins specialty: pet, brush control, draft, scientific
main meat breeds of goats
Boer
Spanish
kiko
main pet breeds of goats
Fainting Goat
Pygmy
Fainting Goats: Caprine Myotonia Congenita
- transient tetanic spasms of voluntary striated skeletal muscles initiated by visual, tactile or auditory stimuli
- autosomal dominant inheritance w/ incomplete penetrence
- becomes apparent at 4-6wks of age
- no tx
- can be mild or severe; can be painful
Angora goats produce:
mohair (other breeds prod. “cashmere”)
common dairy goat breeds in US (DNK)
alpine La Mancha Nubian Oberhasli Saanen Toggenburg
how many sheep worldwide?
1.2 billion (concentrated in China, Australia, India, Iran)
main uses of sheep
fiber meat dairy: mainly cheese skins specialty (scientific) (primarily meat (80%) and fiber prod. in the U.S.)
Fact: more sheep breeds (>1000!) world-wide than any other livestock species
:)
how are sheep breeds classified?
by primary purpose (but many are mixed use)
Ex: Meat, Fine-wool, long-wool, dual-purpose, dairy, minor breeds, hair
chars. of Hair Sheep
- originated from hot environments
- no need to shear (shed fleece naturally)
- many are non-seasonal breeders
- common breeds
SR dairy prod. in the US
- mostly goats
- income comes from dairy products, lambs/kids
- reproduce each year
- need a dry period of at least 60d
- some farms bottle raise, others raised by dam
- machine or hand milked
- huge breed variation in sheep milk prod.
regulatory standards for dairy prod.
- SCC higher than in cow milk (1 mil. cells/ml)
- Standard plate count same as cow milk (<5,000 cells/ml)
raw milk consumption
- doesn’t include butter, cheese
- allowed in some states and not others
- illegal in FL
- usually very high quality, but some zoonotic dz risk (ie. Campylobacter jejuni, Q fever)
- Brucella melitensis zoonotic in foreign countries w/ unvaccinated herds
mohair and cashmere come from goats
-Cashmere very labor intensive
typical production cycle for SR in the US
- fall breeding, spring lambing/kidding
- sometimes have 2 seasons/yr with goats
- weaning age variable (60-120d)
- lambs marketed at 2-14mo
major differences in sheep and goat meat production
- lambs may be fed out to market weight by producer or sold as feeder lambs, whereas most meat goat producers feed out their own kids to market wt.
- less concentrates fed for finishing kids than lambs
sheep operations derive most of their income from:
lamb sales for meat
feedlot lamb production increasing or decreasing?
decreasing
-now lighter weight lambs going directly to market rather than feedlot
most common uses of sheep in the US**
meat and wool production
female goat
doe
female sheep
ewe
male goat
buck
male sheep
ram
castrated male goat
wether
castrated male sheep
wether
physical chars. of sheep
tail hangs down
no bear or wattles
upper lip has distinct philtrum
physical chars. of goats
many are horned
tail usually erect
beards, wattles
goat behavior
> 50% of time browsing
- picky eaters
- climb and like rocky elevated locations
- sideways hooking motion when antagonized
- fighting: rear on hind legs
- alarm signal = high pitched sneeze
- curious
- newborns “lying out”
sheep behavior
- grazers: monotomous diet
- grasslands, not climbers
- butt head on when antagonized or when fighting
- alarm signal: snort and stamp, form compact bunch
- run in flock when frightened
- isolation/unfamiliarity causes stress
- newborns “lying in”
- can remember animal/human faces longterm
special considerations in PE
head (sinuses for fighting injuries)
teeth (dental problems common cause of poor doers)
urine (breifly occlude nostrils)
udder (halves not quarters)
when measure weight for meat animals?
birth
weaning
dam weight at weaning
efficiency of doe or ewe production =
(litter weaning weight/doe or ewe weight at weaning) x 100
BCS 1 of sheep and goats***
(Emaciated) no fat cover spine prominent and sharp transverse process sharp fingers easily pass under
BCS 2 of sheep and goats***
(Thin) thin fat cover spine prominent and smooth muscles medium depth transverse process rounded fingers go under with pressure
BCS 3 of sheep and goats***
(Average; ideal) moderate fat cover spine rounded and smooth muscles full transverse process smooth and rounded fingers need hard pressure to find ends
BCS 4 of sheep and goats***
(Fat) fat cover thick spine detected only as a line muscles full transverse process cannot be felt
BCS 5 of sheep and goats***
(Obese) fat cover very thick spine not detectable, fat dimple over spine muscles very full transverse process can't be felt
estimating the age of sheep and goats
4yr: old, worn permanent teeth
drug use in SR
- few drugs approved for use in sheep/goats
- extra-label use only permitted when an animals’ health is threatened or animal is suffering, and only under veterinary oversight
- can’t leave residues
water intake during pregnancy
at least double maintenance (which is 3.5-15L/day) during preg/lactation
if free choice, goats will browse how much?
80% and graze 20%
feeding non-breeding, non-pregnant animals, wethers and pets
-quality grass +/- legume hay
-minimal grain
-trace mineral salt
-fresh water
-no more than 1lb gain/day
+/- urine acidifiers to mineral mix to prevent urolithiasis in males
nutrition of breeding males
- want to enter breeding season at BCS 3-4.5
- lose 10% of BW during breeding
- supplement grain 4-6wks prior to breeding
nutrition of adult females
- feed to be BCS 2.5-3 at breeding, then 3-3.5 during early gestation
- late gestation: maintain 3-3.5 BCS w/ added grain
- goats maintain BCS easier than sheep
- more difficult to maintain with additional fetuses
- lactation: neg. energy balance at peak lactation; BCS can decrease ~1 score. Feed concentrate.
- non-dairy females: milk prod. demands minimal after ~10wks post-partum and can return to maintenance at this time
70-80% of fetal growth occurs:
during last 6wks of gestation
peak milk production occurs when
~2-3wks post-partum
most important factor limiting milk prod.
feed intake
nutrition of kids and lambs: newborns
- should consume 10% BW in first 12hrs
- 3d-6wks: 15-20% of BW
- start to eat significant amounts of solid feed by 3wks
Creep feeding
Supply extra nutrition (usually grain) to nursing lambs/kids if:
- intensive prod. system
- multiple births/limiting milk prod.
- dairy herds/flocks
- lets in babies, keeps out moms
- start at 1-2wks old
- include a coccidiostat
nutrition for finishing (weaning to market)
- varies with system: all-pasture, supplement, or feedlot
- avoid rumen acidosis with >10% roughage, include rumen buffers, avoid sudden diet change, or feed whole (uncracked) grains
toxic plant ingestion usually occurs when:
- alternative feeds not available
- animals very hungry w/o other plants to eat
- animals confined in an area containing toxic plants
- goats more at risk
puberty generally occurs at what age
5-12mo
breeding generally occurs at what age
~70% mature BW, 7-10mo
gestation length
sheep 147d
goats 150d
reproductive rate
offspring born per female exposed for breeding
repro seasonality in ewes and does
- seasonal polyestrus
- short day breeders (fall)
- affected by nutrition, genetics, management, geography
- photoperiod affected by melatonin, shortening day length
Whitten Effect
induction of cyclicity by abrupt introduction of male
- ewes must be in shallow anestrus
- ovulation in 48hrs (no signs of heat)
- estrus in 17d
signs of heat in Does
flagging, vocalizing, mounting
signs of heat in Ewes
subtle, will stand for ram to mate
most mating is natural service (some AI)
:)
Preg. dx in ewes and does
- low progesterone >5d after breeding: diagnoses NON-pregnancy
- pregnancy-specific protein b (BioPryn) >30d post-breeding (doesn’t tell you how MANY fetuses there are)
- U/S >45d ideal for telling # of fetuses
Scrapie ear tags
-required for sheep/goats >1yo, unless in slaughter channels moving via interstate commerce with some exceptions
Disbudding of goat kids
- sedation, local nerve block, clip hair around
- cautery destroys horn cornium
- ~10 seconds
- lidocaine 0.5%
- xylazine/ketamine/butorphanol or gas anesthesia
- done within 1st wk of life (Nubian, Pygmy, Angora kids 10-14d)
dehorning older goats
- Small Barnes calf dehorner up to ~6wks of age
- surgical dehorner if older w/o skin closure over sinus (more traumatic)
if male kids castrated prior to puberty, the scent glands on the head do not mature
T
castration
- similar as in bull calfs
- burdizzo, sx, or elastrator bands
- lidocaine and NSAIDs
- 70% ram lambs in US castrated
- older males castrated surgically w/ local anesthesia
- best done 4-14d (delayed to 6-8wks in pets to prevent urolithiasis later in life)**
tail docking of lambs
- common for wool breeds
- prevents manure build-up and fly strike
- not necessary in hair sheep
- best @ 24hrs to 7d of age
- electronic docking iron best
- length should cover vulva or anus (too short predisposes to vaginal and rectal prolapses, perineal neoplasia)
hoof care
-trim twice yearly (examine more frequently)
preventive health
targeted parasite control and vax schedules need to be developed for:
- weaning to breeding
- maintenance
- late gestation
- lactating
- rams and bucks
- pets
biggest production limiting problem of SR**
nematode parasites
most common nematode parasites**
Haemonchus (esp. in SE)
Ostertagia (esp. in temperate climates)
Trichostrongylus
“HOT”
what area of GIT affected by nematode parasites
abomasum or SI
chars. of Haemonchus
- female worms lay very large #s of eggs
- short life cycle; quickly contaminates environment
- larvae thrive in hot/humid
- late spring/summer worst
- young animals most susc.
- causes anemia
clinical affects of nematode parasites
- anemia (–> pale mm, weakness, lethargy, sudden death)
- hypoproteinemia
- maldigestion
- malabsorption
- diarrhea, wt. loss, ventral edema, bottle jaw (assoc. with hypoproteinemia)
Dx of parasites
- poor performance
- CS
- fecal exam/flotation, quantitative - fecal egg count
Fecal Egg Reduction Test
used to determine what antihelmintics will be effective in treating parasites/efficacy of tx
Tx of parasites
- antihelmintics
- supportive care
- minimize # treatments/year!
- use TARGETED SELECTIVE DEWORMING: 20-30% of flock harbors >80% of worms!
what to do BEFORE developing deworming strategy:
- which parasites present
- parasite burden (FEC)
- FECRT
How to ID animals for selective deworming
- FAMACHA score for detecting anemic animals (deworm when score 3 or 4-5); used for HAEMONCHUS mainly
- 5 point check (evaluate eyes, back, tail, jaw, and nose0
- look for animals lagging behind group, bottle jaw, diarrhea or failure to thrive should be examined
- cull animals that need frequent treatments
methods for control of internal parasites
- don’t feed on ground, keep waterers clean
- avoid overstocking, rest pastures
- multi-species grazing
- graze tannin-rich forages
- zero-grazing (i.e. feedlots)
- quarantine new arrivals and deworm
- genetic selection for parasite-resistant populations**
how to maximize efficacy of deworming agents
- rotate treatments on annual basis
- feed dry hay before and after deworming to slow transit time
- never underdose
routine vaccinations
Enterotoxemia (C. Perfringens C and D)
Tetanus toxoid
Contagious ecthyma (orf)
Non-routine vax
- clostridia
- rabies
- intranasal PI3
- respiratory syncitial virus
- Chlamydia, Campylobacter fetus (abortion diseases)
- Footrot
- Caseous Lymphadenitis
- Enterotoxogenic E.coli
The 5 C’s of lamb/kid raising
Colostrum Calories Cleanliness Comfort Consistency
Predator control: herd lvl
- active destruction
- livestock guarding animals
- inc. surveillance, esp. during kidding/lambing
CS of Contagious Ecthyma (Orf)
- lesions on lips look like small red spots –> blisters –> scabs
- usually affects lambs/kids
- lesions can be on mouth, nose, around vulva, and on teats
- predisposes to mastitis
prognosis and prevention of Contagious Ecthyma (Orf)
- good prog.
- weight loss can be severe though
- prevent with live/ML vax (used if premesis infected, in show stock, and in feedlot lambs)
- recovered develop life time immunity
tx of Contagious Ecthyma (Orf)
none (self-limiting)
Is Contagious Ecthyma (Orf) zoonotic?
YES (disease and vaccine!)
CS of Caseous Lymphadenitis
- absess of external LN
- unthrifty if internal abscesses
- usually >1yo
- minimal death loss
prognosis/prevention of Caseous Lymphadenitis
- recovery rare
- prevent w/ sanitation and prevention of lacerations
- cull poor doers or chronics
- sanitize shearing equipment
tx of Caseous Lymphadenitis
- drain or surgically remove abscess + systemic penicillin
- long term tx usually indicated
CS of Coccidiosis
- greenish/yellow d
- off feed
- weight loss
- fecal material smeared around rectum
- primarily a dz of feedlot lambs or newly weaned lambs/kids*
Prog/prev. of Coccidiosis
- 10-50% morbidity w/ 10% mortality
- prevent with sanitation, isolation
- feed Deccox or Bovatec on arrival, during/after weanin, pre-lambing, or other stress periods
tx of Coccidiosis
amprolium or sulfa drugs plus supportive care
-very resistant in env.
chars. of pregnancy toxemia
- severe dz of ewes/does during advanced pregnancy
- more prevalent in ewes/does bearing twins/triplets
- neg. energy balance, hypoglycemia, inc. fat catabolism –> ketonemia, ketonuria, incoordination, impaired vision, downer, coma, death
tx of pregnancy toxemia
C-section induce parturition IV dextrose oral propylene glycol Ca (for the 20% that are hypocalcemic)
prevention of pregnancy toxemia
high plane of nutrition lasting 2mo.
closely monitor for ketosis
