Common Goat Problems

[mikey]

One common goat problem is External Parasites,this is a make at home formula I found on the net.
dissolve in 1 litre of water 1.25 grams Neguvon,0.3 litre of cooking oil and 1/2 teaspoon soap powder and mix well,soak a clean cloth in the mixture and rub it all over the goat(s) body.Would be nice if other producers would share information on this problem with us.

Proud Independant
mikey

[mikey]

Over Crowding:
This is from personal experience:goats do poorly when stressed in confinded spaces,goats need approx, 20 square feet each.I prefer 25 square feet each and in their own pen,our pens are 5x5 each ,25 square feet each pen.crowded goats will stop eating if the inside temperature reaches 30c in the barn.Remember a goat will eat at night if you leave a light on for them,they can eat a fair amount through the night.

Always seperate the pregnant goats from the non pregnant goats,more goats loose their babies this way (fighting).Always better to keep the buck(s) separate in their own pen or house.Always bring the doe in heat to the buck for breeding.

Hoof trimming,goats do from time to time need their hoofs trimmed,important to maintain good health.

[mikey]

Problems Which Can Frequently Be Related To Nutrition:
PROBLEMS                                           POSSIBLE NUTRITIONAL
Milk Fever                                           Ca/Phos,ratio,vitamin D,
                                                         inorganic sulfate

Downer Milk Fever                                 The above plus magnesium
Grass Tetany                                        Magnesium
Knuckling Fetlocks/weak hindlegs              Vitamin e,Selenium,copper
Nerve Loss                                            Copper
Ataxia                                                  Copper,copper-molybdenum

Orginally published in Agribusiness Dairyman

Independant Producer Region 7
mikey

[mikey]

Pregnancy toxaemia,also known as twin disease or twinning disease,is a serious metabolic condition of pregnant does.It affects does in the last month of pregnancy and is associated with the presence of a large single kid or multiple pregnancies.The does health deteriorates steadily.Treatment must be prompt or the condition will be fatal.Fat does in the last month of pregnancy are at risk particularly if they are kept in small areas with limited exercise.Watch how much grain you give your does.
By NSW Agriculture:
Independant Producer Region 7             Support the goat
mikey

[mikey]

Mastitis in ewes and does is one of the more common health problems affecting sheep and goats.Severe cases can result in death of the ewe,but more often it takes it toll in the form of treatment cost,premature culling,and reduced performance of lambs and kids.Mastitis is an inflamation of the mammary gland (udder).It can be caused by physical injury or stress or by bacteria which invade the mammary gland.The bacteria which are known to cause mastitis in cows,sheep,goats are STREPTOCOCCUS SP.,STAPHYLOCOCCUS SP., PASTEURELLA SP., and COLIFORMS,such as E.COLI.
By:Susan Schoenian
Cleaniness of floors and feeding areas are important.
mikey

[mikey]

Impacted Meconium:By 24 hours of age,newborn kids should be passing a dark yellow stool.If not,they may not be eating enough or,more commonly.the black feces in the bowel at birth (meconium) may be difficult to pass.This is more of a problem with small or weak kids.Use a 6 cc syringe (without a needle) to give enema of 3-5 cc of warm water.Never give oil orally to relieve constipation.Oil has little taste or feel in the mouth and is easily inhaled,resulting in a fatal foreign-body pneumonia.
By: Dr. Kay Orlando,DVM
mikey

[mikey]

Heat Stress:
nearly every life form is affected in some way by high temperatures.Goats are no exception.It is not heat alone that causes stress to the goat,but it is the combination of temperature and humidity when some crucial limit has been reached,which shuts down all bodily functions other than those critical for survival.
By: Extension Goat Handbook USA
Prevention:supply shade and good ventilation,fresh clean water with minerals.

[mikey]

Bacterial Pneumonia:
direct contact from infected or contaminated udder,navel infection,gential or intra infection of the dam,contaminated environment.
General Symptons:
fever,inability to suckle,nasal discharge,coughing and respiratory distress,gradual emacoation may terminate as pneumonia enterits.
Prevention:
proper nursing in clean,dry environment necessary,early case respond to antibotics,BUT DEATH IS COMMON.

[mikey]

Infectious Arthritis:
direct throught mouth,open wounds,or via umbilicus
Symptoms:
swollen knees,lameness,pain if pressure is applied on affected area.Fever at times,affects the joints,hock,knee,elbow.Animal prefers recumbency,appetite affected with grudual deterioration.
Prevention and Control:
treat open wounds to minimize infection (castration,navel) dressing,hygiene management espically in areas of confinement,treatable with antibotics and sulfa drugs.

[mikey]

HMD:
direct and indirect contact with other infected animals.carriers,implements arid infected materials,blister fluid,saliva and other bodily discharges.
Symptoms:
fever vesicles.erosion in between hooves,teats and udder.oral mucosa and tongue raw ulcers,foamy saliviation,smacking of the lips,difficultry in feeding,staggering gait.lameness,abortion usually in pregnant does.
Prevention:
immediate notification of Authorites,quarantine the farm,no movement of livestock,disinfect with commercial disinfectants or lye caustic soda.Keep animals on dry ground and treat lesions with mild antiseptic ( 5% formalin),mass immunization and no movement of livestock.

[mikey]

Ear Mites:
ear mites are quite common in kids if the adults are infected.When they scratch their ears and shake their heads at an early age,the goats should should be examined and treated with a miticide.The infected ears often show a scaly,greyish material in the ear canal.The mites can be easily examined with a magnifying glass on a piece of black cloth.If you treat one ,treat them all.

[mikey]

Brucellosis:
ingestion of contaminated feed and water.Aborted fedal membrane,placenta,urine and uterine discharge are main sources of infection.Infected males can transfer disease through natural or artifical breeding.
Symptons:
inferility,abortion,retained placenta,persistant vaginal discharge.In males,swollen and painful testicles with subsequent infertility/sterility.
Prevention:
blood tests and the removal of infected animals,vaccination may be tried,antibiotic medication found to be impractical.

[nemo]

If the animal have brucellosis better to cull it. this disease could transfer to humans.

[mikey]

Hemorrhagic Septicemia:
ingestion or inhalation of infective agent.Maybe normally present in the nasopharyngeal area but predisposition causes flare up of infection.
Symptoms:
high fever,loss of appetite,respiratory distress,salivation,nasal discharges,swelling of the throat and brisket congestion of mucous membrane,diarrhea becoming bloddy later.
Prevention:
prophylactic vaccination,removal of predisposition when possible,early treatment with parental antibiotics and sulfa drugs.

[mikey]

Anthrax:
direct ingestion of infected material,biting flies,indirect,through contact with materials and carries.
Symptoms:
sudden onset of fever,depression and loss of appetite,swelling of the chest,head,belly and legs,blood diarrhea,death is common in the early stages,colic,abortion in pregnant goats,blood stained discharges and convulsions,
Prevention:
dead animals should be cremated or buried under a layer of lime,antibotic treatment may only be effective in the early and mild cases.