Transcript Sheep & Goat Health Common Problems and Solutions

Goat Health and Care
Small Scale Goat Dairying
Central Point, OR
April 5, 2008
Charles Estill, OSU Extension Veterinarian
Biosecurity
Security from transmission of infectious diseases, parasites, and pests
 Buy from reputable
breeders.
 Know the health
status of the animals
you are purchasing.
 Maintain a closed
herd.
 Limit showing/
exhibiting.
 Isolate new animals
for at least 30 days.
Biosecurity
Reduce transmission of infectious diseases, parasites, and pests
 Don’t loan or share or
bucks.*
 Don’t breed does for
other producers.*
 Do not mix your animals
with other people’s
animals.*
 Don’t share equipment
unless it is disinfected
after each use.
 Limit access to your
farm/animals.
 Control cat, dog, bird,
and rodent populations.
*Unless the other farm/animals have equal health status.
Health problems of goats
 Udder disorders
 Caprine Arthritis
Encephalitis
 Caseous Lymphadenitis
 Floppy Kid Syndrome
 Johne’s Disease
Mastitis
 What is a normal udder?
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Uniformly soft and symmetric
Temperature is same as rest of body
No swelling or pain
Teats are thin and uniform, milk easily
 Examine milk for:
 Color
 Consistency
 Clots, flakes
Diagnosis of mastitis
 Physical signs
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Uneven udder
Udder is hot, swollen, or painful
Sick, off feed, fever
Reduced milk production
May be no outward signs
General types of mastitis
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Acute
Bluebag
Sub-clinical
Chronic
Acute mastitis
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Udder is hot, swollen, painful
Udder may be hard
Milk is abnormal (clots, flakes, watery)
Reduced milk production
Goat may be sick and have a fever
May have a stiff gait
Can be fatal
Blue bag
 Mastitis caused by
Staph. aureus or
Pasteurella
 Up to 80% die
 Udder is initially
red and hot then
turns blue and cold
 Milk is watery,
brown
 May slough ½ of
udder
Sub-clinical mastitis
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Very common
May be difficult to detect without CMT
Udder may be firm
May be occasional clots, flakes
Reduced milk production
Chronic mastitis
 It is 15 to 40 times more prevalent than the
clinical form.
 It usually precedes the clinical form.
 It is of long duration.
 It is difficult to detect.
 It reduces milk production.
 It adversely affects milk quality. Firm, nonpainful udder
 Career counseling
Diagnosis of mastitis
 Testing
 California mastitis test
 pH
 Cells
 0, Trace or 1+ is normal
 Compare halves of udder
 Somatic cell count (inaccurate)
 <500,000 is normal (1M reg. limit)
 Much higher at end of lactation
 Milk culture
 Technique
 Staph. epidermidis most common
California Mastitis Test
Treatment of mastitis
 Frequent stripping out
 Oxytocin
 Antibiotics
 Intramammary (1/2 tube)
 Today
 Spectromast
 Pirsue
Treatment of mastitis
 Sick goats need systemic treatment!
 Systemic antibiotics
 Penicillin G, Naxcel, LA-200, Gallimycin
 Anti-inflammatory therapy
 Fluids
Mastitis prevention
 Hygiene
 Clean, dry, comfortable environment
 Maintain milking equipment
 Avoid excessive vacuum
 Properly working pulsators
 Properly fitting liners
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Proper milking routine (teat dip)
Good nutrition
Clip udder hair
CMT monthly
Treat ALL does at dry-off
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL or CLA)
cheesy gland, boils, abscesses
Caused by Corynbacterium (Actinomyces) pseudotuberculosis
 Usually external
abscesses in skin or
lymph nodes.
 Pus in external abscess is
initially pale green.
 Usually affects animals >
6 months of age.
 Lives in soil for >1year
Zoonotic potential - ???
Caseous lymphadenitis
 Diagnosis
 Culture of organism
 Necropsy
 Blood test
 Treatment
 Complete surgical excision is best
 Isolate for treatment-do not open in
environment of other goats
 If draining- flush with Nolvasan or iodine
 Cull
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL or CLA)
cheesy gland, abscesses, boils
Caused by bacteria Corynbacterium pseudotuberculosis
 Controlling/eradicating
CLA
 Identify and cull affected
animals
 Avoid skin injuries
 Practice good hygiene.
 Purchase from CLA-free
flocks/herds.
 Vaccination can reduce
severity of disease.
 Do not vaccinate naïve
herds
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE)
 Retroviral infection
 Only 25% will ever
show signs (3881% positive)
 Joint
swelling/arthritis in
goats >6 mo.
 Encephalitis in 2-4
mo. kids
 Pneumonia and
mastitis in adults
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE)
 CAE virus is primarily
transmitted to kids
through colostrum
and milk.
 Contact transmission
is rare, but possible.
 Diagnosis- blood test
after 6 months of age
 No treatment or
vaccine is available.
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE)
 Prevention and control
 Pasteurize colostrum(133 F for 60 min)
 Feed pasteurized milk(165 F for 15 sec)
 Milk positive does last
 Quarantine and test new additions w/i
60 days
 Disinfect equipment
 Cannot eradicate w/o culling positives
Johne’s Disease
paratuberculosis
Caused by bacteria Mycobacterium anium spp. paratuberculosis
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Victoria, Australia
Cattle, sheep, and goat strains
Fecal-oral transmission
Young animals most susceptible
Symptoms
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Only 5% show signs within a
herd at a given time
No signs until 2-7 years old
Animals w/o signs are still a
source of infection
Chronic weight loss
Precipitated by stress
Profuse, watery diarrhea in
terminal stages
Small intestine
Ohio
www.johnes.org
State University
Johne’s Disease
Small intestine
 Difficult to diagnose
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Ohio State Univ.
Fecal culture (40-60%)
Blood test-good when
clinical signs present
 No treatment.
 Difficult to control.
 Prevention
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Maintain a closed flock/herd
Cull offspring of infected
animals
Sanitation
Be careful with cow colostrum
Test annually
 Theoretical link to
Crohn’s disease in
people.
Floppy kid syndrome
First documented in 1987
 Affects kids between 3
and 10 days of age
(normal at birth)
 Most common late in
kidding season.
 Causes muscle
weakness, ataxia.
 Cause unknown, but
suspected to be gastrointestinal, a metabolic
acidosis.
 Treat with sodium
bicarbonate and
supportive therapy.
Questions????
Questions, comments