Goat Health and Care

1. Goat Health and Care Small Scale Goat Dairying Central Point, OR April 5, 2008 Charles Estill, OSU Extension Veterinarian

2. 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. BiosecuritySecurity from transmission of infectious diseases, parasites, and pests

3. 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. BiosecurityReduce transmission of infectious diseases, parasites, and pests *Unless the other farm/animals have equal health status.

4. Udder disorders Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Caseous Lymphadenitis Floppy Kid Syndrome Johne’s Disease Health problems of goats

5. Mastitis • What is a normal udder? • 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

6. Diagnosis of mastitis • Physical signs • Uneven udder • Udder is hot, swollen, or painful • Sick, off feed, fever • Reduced milk production • May be no outward signs

7. General types of mastitis • Acute • Bluebag • Sub-clinical • Chronic

8. Acute mastitis • 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

9. 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 Blue bag

10. Sub-clinical mastitis • Very common • May be difficult to detect without CMT • Udder may be firm • May be occasional clots, flakes • Reduced milk production

11. 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, non-painful udder • Career counseling

12. 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

13. California Mastitis Test

14. Treatment of mastitis • Frequent stripping out • Oxytocin • Antibiotics • Intramammary (1/2 tube) • Today • Spectromast • Pirsue

15. Treatment of mastitis • Sick goats need systemic treatment! • Systemic antibiotics • Penicillin G, Naxcel, LA-200, Gallimycin • Anti-inflammatory therapy • Fluids

16. Mastitis prevention • Hygiene • Clean, dry, comfortable environment • Maintain milking equipment • Avoid excessive vacuum • Properly working pulsators • Properly fitting liners • Proper milking routine (teat dip) • Good nutrition • Clip udder hair • CMT monthly • Treat ALL does at dry-off

17. 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 Caseous lymphadenitis (CL or CLA)cheesy gland, boils, abscesses Caused by Corynbacterium (Actinomyces) pseudotuberculosis Zoonotic potential - ???

18. 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

19. 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 Caseous lymphadenitis (CL or CLA)cheesy gland, abscesses, boils Caused by bacteria Corynbacterium pseudotuberculosis

20. Retroviral infection Only 25% will ever show signs (38-81% positive) Joint swelling/arthritis in goats >6 mo. Encephalitis in 2-4 mo. kids Pneumonia and mastitis in adults Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE)

21. 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)

22. 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

23. Cattle, sheep, and goat strains Fecal-oral transmission Young animals most susceptible Symptoms 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 Johne’s Disease paratuberculosis Caused by bacteria Mycobacterium anium spp. paratuberculosis Victoria, Australia Small intestine Ohio State University www.johnes.org

24. Difficult to diagnose Fecal culture (40-60%) Blood test-good when clinical signs present No treatment. Difficult to control. Prevention 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. Johne’s Disease Small intestine Ohio State Univ.

25. 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 gastro-intestinal, a metabolic acidosis. Treat with sodium bicarbonate and supportive therapy. Floppy kid syndromeFirst documented in 1987

26. Questions???? Questions, comments