Small Ruminant P+P Flashcards
What is the most widely distributed mammalian livestock species?
goats
What are principles of small ruminant dairy production in the US?
- reproduce each year, lactate 9-10m does, 6-7m ewes
- need a dry period of at least 60d
- some farms bottle raise kids/lambs
- on others, kids/lam raised by dam:
- nurse for 1/2d then dams milked once/day
- or remain w/ dam until weaning @ 45-60d
Why is it common for small ruminant dairy farmers to manipulate seasonal breeding?
to have animals kid/lamb over a wide time frame so that milk can be marketed for more of the year
What are the small ruminant dairy regulatory standards?
- SCC limit: 1x106 cells
-
Standard plate count: limit = 100,000 cells/ml
- goal = < 5000 cell/ml
How often should goats and sheep be sheared? How does the position that each species is sheared differ?
- Goats: angoras - 2x/yr, spring and fall
- sheared standing or recumbent
- Sheep: 1-2x, spring is best (long during winter)
- sheared recumbent
What are the typical production cycles for sheep and goats on meat production farms?
- Sheep: fall breeding, spring lambing
- Goats: same as sheep, or 2 kiddings/year
- Weaning age variable, typically 60-120d
How do sheep vs. goat meat production processes differ?
- Lambs: fed to market wt by producer or sold as feeder lambs; kids usally fed by producer to market wt
- less concentrates typically fed for finishing kids than lambs
Why is it difficult to detect lung disease in goats and sheep?
their lung sounds are comparatively harsh
How do you estmate a sheep or goat’s age using their dentition?
- <1 yr, no permanent teeth
- 1 yr, 2 perm teeth
- 2 yr, 4 perm teeth
- 3 yr, 6 perm teeth
- 4 yr, 8 perm teeth
- >4 yr, worm perm teeth
What are the points along the lumbosacral joint that you use for BCS evaluation in goats and sheep?
- spine (sharp vs. smooth vs. not detectable)
- fat cover presence over epaxial mm
- expaxial mm.
- transverse processes (sharp, rounded, cannot be felt)
What is the typical birth weight of lambs and kids?
- 8-13lbs for single lambs, 7-10lbs for twins
- breed specific in kids
What are required for sheep and goats (>1 yr of age) moving via interstate commerce?
Scrapie ear tags
When is the ideal time to castrate a goat?
- 4-14 d, if indicated (more common in fiber animals)
- pets: delayed until >3 mo might decr risk of obstructive urolithiasis
What are common methods of bloodless (closed) castration?
- Elastrator bands
- best if <1 week, always give tetanus antitoxin even if vaccinated
- disinfect band
- sloughing in 7-10d
- Burdizzo emasculatome
Describe the process of surgical castration
- done at any age; preferable to closed techniques for post-pubertal males
- remove distal 1/3 of scrotum or incise scrotal skin
- expose testicles, crush spermatic cord, remove testicles by traction, or ligate (older animals)
- leave scrotum open for drainage
Describe the process of tail docking in lambs
- common procedure for wool breeds
- not necessary in hair sheep
- best @ 2-7d of age
- electronic docking iron (best)
- elastrator band (vacc. tetanus/TAT)
- length:
- should cover vulva (ewes) or anus (rams), no shorter than distal end of the caudal tail fold
What happens if a lamb’s tail is docked too short?
it predisposes to vaginal and rectal prolapses, perineal neoplasia
Describe the process of debudding in goat kids
- most breeds: 4-7d
- nubian, pygmy, angora goats: 10-14d
- restraint and sedation often required
- local nerve block: lidocaine (dilute to 0.5%)
- Methods: heat cautery to destroy horn corneum (10 sec), paste NOT a good option, small Barnes calf dehorner can be used up to 6 wks of age, sx dehorning if older (more complications)
Describe descenting
- removal of scent glands; usually removed with disbudding in horned males, but may remove in polled males
- removed similar to dehorning
- glands located caudomedial to horn bud
- males castrated before 7.5 mo do not develop this gland
Which of the following is false?
a) If male kids are castrated prior to puberty, the scent glands on the head do not mature
b) Goat kids should generally be disbudded in the first week of life, except Nubian, Pygmy, and Angora kids can be disbudded at 10-14 days
c) To disbud kids, an electric dehorning iron should be applied to the bud for 60 seconds
d) Lidocaine should typically be diluted to 0.5% prior to use for disbudding young goat kids
C; no longer than 10 seconds/until copper colored ring is formed - longer could cause brain sweeling
What routine vaccine should be given to all sheep? What is the vax protocol for this vaccine?
- Clostridial dz vax - covers the following strains:
- C. tetani, C. perfringens type C&D, C. novyi, C. sordelli, C. chauvoei, C. septicum
Protocol:
- Vaccinate at 1-2 mo, booster in 3-4 wks if dam vaccinated
- Vax at 1-3 wks, booster twice at 3-4 wk intervals if dam not vaccinated
- Annual booster
What is a routine vaccine given to all goats?
- Clostrial disease - CDT
- C. perfringens C&D and C. tetani
- Same vax protocol as in sheep
What are some non-routine vaccinations in sheep and goats?
Sheep:
- Abortion dz in endemic areas:
- Chlamydia psittaci and Camplyobacter spp.
- In specific situations:
- footrot
- rabies*
- contagious ecthyma (orf)*
* in both sheep and goats
What are the biggest production-limiting problem of small ruminants in most parts of the world?
nematode parasites
What are the most common nematodes that affect small ruminants, and what problems do they cause?
- most common: Haemonchus, Ostertagia, and Trichostrongylus (“HOT”)
- Haemonchus contortus = most significant cause of clinical dz and resistance, esp in SE U.S.; Ostertagia more a problem in temperate climates
Problems:
- affect abomasum or SI
- incr susceptibility when overcrowding, overgrazing, malnutrition, poor quality pasture
- resistance to antihelmenthics
Describe Haemonchus contortus
- female worms lay very large #s of eggs and short life cycle at optimum times of year, so environmental contamination builds up quickly
- larvae thrive under hot, humid conditions
- transmission and infection level usually low in months w/ avg temp <50 F, problems usually peak in late spring/summer
- young animals are most susceptible
What are the clinical pathology and clinical signs seen with nematode parasite infestation?
- Clin Path: anemia (mostly with Haemonchus), hypoproteinemia, maldigestion, malabsorption
- C/S: d/t anemia –> pale MM, weakness, lethargy, death, diarrhea, wt loss or reduced wt gain, ventral edema and bottle jaw
How do you diagnose a nematode infestation?
- poor performance
- C/S
- necropsy
- fecal exam/float, quantitative - fecal egg count
What do you do when a clinical case of nematode parasitism is recognized?
- use antihelmintic you expect to work on farm, combine with FECRT or DrenchRite test (larval dev. assay) to determine efficacy, supportive care
- Long-term parasite control program:
- FECRT or Drench Rite test every 2-3 years
What is the protocol for proper antihelmintic use?
-
targeted selective deworming
- 20-305 of flock harbor 80% of worms
- need to dilute out the resistant population on pasture
- minimize # of tx/year - discourage selection of resistant worms
- ID individuals in need and tx
- +/- deworm prior to lambing/kidding, 10-14 d after heavy rain
- NEVER deworm simply at regular intervals or on a calendar basis
How do you determine who needs deworming?
- FAMACHA score for detecting anemia animals
- deworm those w/ scores 3-5 (or just 4 and 5)
- only where Haemonchus is the major problem
- cull animals in need of freq tx
- 5-point check:
- scores for eye (FAMACHA), back (BCS), tail (soiling), jaw (bottle-jaw), nose (nasal d/c)
How often should you check animals for parasites in Florida?
- at least every 3-4 wks in winter and 2 wks in summer
- onlyl very small %age of herd/flock should require tx at any one time
What are some management strategies for controlling internal parasites?
- dont feed hay, grain or creep feed on ground
- keep animals in good nutritional status
- pastures - avoid overstocking, use pasture rest periods, supplemental feed if pasture is stressed
- multi-species grazing w/ cattle or horses
- graze tannin-rich forages that help control nematodes
- quarantine new arrivals and deworm w/ 2 dewormers from different classes
- genetic selection for parasite-resistant populations