Goat Herd Health: Goat Herd Health Oklahoma Meat Goat Conference Gene Parker Jr. DVM Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Food Animal Quality and Health Specialist


Goat herd health procedures: Goat herd health procedures Deworming Nutrition Vaccinations Disbudding Descenting Dewattling Castration


Tetnus and Overeating disease: Tetnus and Overeating disease Clostridium tetanii Clostridium perfringens type C & D Organism is found frequently in soil Causes sudden death in young kids on feed Combination called CDT or 3-way Most important vaccine in goats Kids vaccinated at 4 and 8 weeks of age Bucks and does vaccinated once a year about 4 weeks before kidding


Slide4: ESSENTIAL 3+T Clostridium Perfringens Types C&D Tetanus Toxoid Detoxified Toxin  Cat. #11302 20ml 10 Dose Cat. #11304 100ml 50 Dose Cat. #11305 250ml 125 Dose


Vibrio \ Lepto : Vibrio \ Lepto Abortion diseases caused by Leptospirosis and Campylobacter Fetus will be partially degraded or rotted More important in wetter climates Vaccination is the only prevention since it does not respond to medical treatment and immunity after infection is poor Abortions may reach up to 75% of herd


Enzootic Abortion: Enzootic Abortion Caused by Clamydia organism Organism introduced by new goats Less of a problem in goats than in sheep Responds to medical treatment Produces immunity after the disease Aborted fetus is well preserved not rotted Optional unless you have a problem


Sore mouth (orf): Sore mouth (orf) Caused by Parapox Virus Vaccine is a live unattenuated virus and can infect people which handle it Humans are exposed by infected goats Only use if you have a herd problem Vaccinate Kids at 2-3 days old Scabs in pens are infective for years Introduced by newly purchased animals


Slide8: Print Page OVINE ECTHYMA (Sore Mouth) Live Virus    Cat. #19305 100 Doses FOR VETERINARY USE ONLY


Caseous Lymphandenitis (CL): Caseous Lymphandenitis (CL) Caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Causes abcesses in the lymph nodes around the head, neck, and internally No vaccine labeled for goats Sheep vaccine causes severe reactions in goats with soreness, fever, and knots Vaccine only “aids in the control”


Contagious Foot Rot: Contagious Foot Rot Caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum Can infect up to 100% of the herd Introduced by new additions to herd Destroys tissue at the skin-hoof junction Dying tissue has a unpleasant odor No permanent immunity after recovery Vaccination at 3-6 month intervals where continuing foot rot is a problem


Bluetongue: Bluetongue Caused by Orbivirus Spred by bites from black knats Very seasonal only during summer and fall Goats and cattle infections are self limiting Severe problem in sheep and deer Vaccine only available for sheep and only one of the 5 strains are in the vaccine Not much of a problem in goats


Slide12: Print Page BLUETONGUE VACCINE Type 10 Modified Live Virus   Cat. #19204    100ml    50 Dose


White Muscle Disease: White Muscle Disease Vitamin E \ Selenium deficency Many soils and forages are deficient Weak kids that fail to rise and nurse Muscles are pale on necropsy Commonly seen in bottle fed kids Treat does 4 weeks before kidding Treat kids at birth if you have problems


Disbudding Kid Goats: Disbudding Kid Goats No need to disbud meat goats Disbudding should be done at 2-4 weeks Use a hot debudding iron with short times A dehorning box is helpful Kids resist the block of local anasthesia as much as the debudding iron Always give tetnus antitoxin 100 I.U. IM Caustic paste is unreliable and messy


Descenting Goats: Descenting Goats Only needed on Pet goats Not needed on market or meat goats May be done at disbudding Always give tetnus antitoxin 100 I.U. IM Area of scent gland is behind and inside the horns


Dewattling Goats: Dewattling Goats Only needed on show goats Clipped off at birth with scissors Apply blood clotting powder if needed Procedure not needed on meat goats


Castrating Goats: Castrating Goats Pet goats should be castrated at debudding when they are 2-4 weeks old by the banding method Meat goats may not need to be castrated at all by market age Testicles = rapid growth = bigger goats =more pounds to sell = more money Match castration method to size of goat Give tetnus antitoxin 100 I.U. IM


Predator Control in Goats: Predator Control in Goats Oklahoma Meat Goat Conference Gene Parker Jr. DVM OSU Extension Food Animal Quality and Health Specialist


USDA Predation Statistics: USDA Predation Statistics The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) keeps track of what America's goats die from and periodically publishes findings in a report titled “Goats Death Loss.” According to the edition issued on May 6, 2005, predators killed 155 thousand goats during 2004, accounting for slightly more than 37 percent of goat deaths that year.


Lethal Predator Control: Lethal Predator Control Live traps Leg hold traps Snares M -44s (cyanide bombs) Predator calling (shooting) Arial Gunning (helicopter)


Non-Lethal Predator Control: Non-Lethal Predator Control Night penning or shedding year round Specialized fencing Predator wire, Electric wire, Net wire Noise making devices Guard Animals (dogs, donkeys, llamas)


Guard Animals for Predators: Guard Animals for Predators The concept of livestock guardian animals goes back a long, long way — about six thousand years ago, to the mountain regions of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, where guardian dogs were first trained to protect sheep and goats. Today's farmers and ranchers still use guardian dogs to protect their livestock, but they've also added guardian donkeys and llamas to the mix.


Guard Donkeys: Guard Donkeys


Guard Donkey Advantages: Guard Donkey Advantages They eat what goats eat (no special diet) They hate canines but love people They will stay in fences made for goats No training required or needed Very heat and humidity resistant Only a single animal needed in herd Most suited for larger range conditions


Guard Donkey Disadvantages: Guard Donkey Disadvantages Gelded jacks work best Don’t bond with the goats Can’t leave alone in the pasture Rumensin is toxic to equines Life span is 20-30 years


Guard Llamas: Guard Llamas


Guard Llama Advantages: Guard Llama Advantages They eat what the goats eat They dislike dogs and coyotes They will stay in fences made for goats Don’t roam like some dogs Rumensin is not toxic to llamas Only a single animal needed in a pasture No training needed


Guard Llama Disadvantages: Guard Llama Disadvantages Castrated males work best May not be friendly to people and may be hard to catch and handle Must Shear in summer or will have heat stress and often die Many don’t bond with goats Don’t like people as much


Guardian Dogs: Guardian Dogs


Guardian Dog Advantages: Guardian Dog Advantages Like people (easy to handle and care for) Dogs bond with the goats People are more familiar with dogs They will clean up kids and remove afterbirth that attract predators They will alert owner of danger other than that of predators They will move goats away from danger


Guardian Dog Disadvantages: Guardian Dog Disadvantages Have to feed separate from goats Dogs require different health program May roam if only a single animal Bark a lot (may disturb neighbors) May require special fencing to keep in


Three Keys Good Predator Control: Three Keys Good Predator Control Good Fences Guard animals Be a good shot