OLDS, Alta. — Goats have unique health problems and treating them can be difficult because there are few medications approved for them.
Vaccination and deworming are part of a holistic herd management approach where health, economics, forage, breeding and economic planning are pulled together.
Included in the plan is strict external biosecurity to keep diseases out and internal biosecurity to keep diseases from spreading.
“Biosecurity is probably the least cost of anything we can do,” said An Pieschel, a small ruminant specialist at the University of Tennessee and a goat producer. She spoke at the annual Alberta Goat Association annual meeting in Olds Oct. 1.
Read Also
Beef check-off collection system aligns across the country
A single and aligned check-off collection system based on where producers live makes the system equal said Chad Ross, Saskatchewan Cattle Association chair.
Most diseases are brought in with newly purchased animals but people can also carry in unwanted problems on their clothes, footwear and vehicles. Mice, birds and pets can also spread disease.
Equipment, including trailers and mats, should be cleaned using bleach or Virkon S, a broad-based disinfectant, or chlorhexidine, an antibacterial that can be used as an antiseptic.
Well-nourished goats tend to be healthy. Deficiencies caused by imbalances in dietary energy can include protein, zinc, calcium, selenium, copper and others associated with health.
Producers should test soil and feed to ensure proper nutrients are delivered in the correct balance.
Goats require attention if they are sneezing, coughing, off feed, lethargic and are separating themselves from the herd.
“You should be able to identify it or identify an individual that is starting to get sick three days before blow up,” she said.
She recommends a stethoscope to monitor respiration and heart rate.
“If you are going to do a health check on an individual, do it at the same time every day,” she said.
Some diseases present similar symptoms, which can make diagnosis tricky. Few products are labelled for use in goats, so producers need to work with veterinarians for treatment recommendations.
- Caprine arthritis encephalitis is a viral infection that can affect joints, lungs, brains and mammary glands. Infection may take some time before it shows up, but once a goat has CAE it is always infected. The infection can spread in colostrum. Test semen and check bucks because they can transfer it to does.
- Caseous lymphadenitis is a chronic, contagious disease caused by bacteria through the lymph glands. Culling may be the best way to eradicate it.
- Contagious ecthyma, or sore mouth disease, occurs primarily on the lips of young animals. Infection occurs by contact. Scabs can be seen on the lips, face, scrotum, vulva, or teats. Lesions usually go away in two to four weeks, but animals can get secondary bacterial infection. This is a zoonotic disease so wear gloves when handling infected goats.
- Foot rot is a contagious bacterial infection of soft tissue between the toes. Swelling, redness and pus may be seen. There are different forms, so producers should consider collecting a swab from the infection site so it can be analyzed in a laboratory.
Proper foot trimming is necessary. High quality zinc in the mineral mix can help and placing mineral feeders on rocks encourages goats to walk on rough surfaces for some abrasion on the feet.
“If you have foot problems, it is often due to management,” she said. Pieschel recommends producers pay close attention to the animals’ feet during selection.
- Listerioisis is a bacterial infection that can cause depression, fever, discolouration of the eyes, trigemenal and facial nerve paralysis and circling. The bacteria can survive for years and is most commonly seen when feeding silage. Off-label drugs may be needed to treat it.
- Over eating disease is caused by clostridium perfringens, the bacteria found in the soil and intestinal tract. Goats that have not been well acclimated to green pastures and are allowed in the bush or released onto fast-growing pastures or cereal crops may pick it up.
Vaccinate does three weeks before kidding so protection can be passed on in the colostrum; then vaccinate kids six weeks later.
Animals may be sick for several days to several weeks and kids may die before symptoms are noticed. They are off feed and have severe intermittent diarrhea.
- There are numerous forms of pneumonia, which are linked to bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites. It is important to know which form of the disease is present to diagnose proper treatment.
- Goat polio is a thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency so consider supplementing feed with thiamine or brewers yeast. Any change in the goat’s feed can cause symptoms. Causes include feeding mouldy hay or grain, feeding molasses-based grains subject to mould, sudden changes in feed or improperly formulated rations. Symptoms include elevation of the head while standing, tremors, staggering or weaving. If not treated, the animal can die in 24 to 72 hours.
- Leptospirosis is an abortion disease so vaccinate does before breeding. Wear gloves when handling dead fetuses because it is contagious.
- Urolithiasis is stones in the male urethra, causing urine retention, abdominal pain and risk of bladder rupture. Obstructive uroliths are common in male goats, regardless of feed, season, or other factors. Bucks can also break their penises during breeding. Neither condition is treatable.
- Bloat occurs when goats are fed straight alfalfa hay or pellets.
- White muscle disease is a selenium deficiency and results in sudden stiffness and trembling.
- Scrapie is a fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It be-longs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongi-form encephalopathies.
- Parasites include the barber pole worm and brown stomach worm. They decrease appetite, cause diarrhea and weight loss.
- The inside of the eyes should be reddish pink. Using the FAMACHA scorecard, eye colour can be compared and a decision made to use a chemical dewormer.
