The Thin Poor Doing Goat

Periodically goats appear thin or lose condition but generally regain weight. This is pretty normal in most animal production systems. Unfortunately, some goats do not regain the lost weight and may even continue to lose weight. There are a number of reasons that goats may become poor doers, some are management related and some are related to disease agents that have a long term negative effect on the animal.

Extra label usage - drugs listed in this category can only be used under direction of your veterinarian. Need to obtain withdraw periods and directions.

Management Factors

Goats should have a diet that consists of 8 - 13.5 % CP depending on the stage of production. Energy requirements will vary as well and are the highest during lactation. The best means to evaluate the ration is to have forage analysis performed on the forage. Book values can be used for the common grains.

b) Inadequate feeder space

1. Ideally more than one feeder should be used.
2. 1.4 to 2 linear feet per head.

c) Inadequate space

1. Dry lot confinement there should be 35 to 100 sq ft per animal.
2. Less space increases fighting.

d) bully vs shy animals

1. French Alpine and Toggenburg breeds tend to be more aggressive.
2. Nubians tend to be shy and submissive.

e) Age hierarchy

Infectious Agents

Internal parasites - Haemonchus contortus or Barber pole worm
1. causes severe anemia
2. look at the third eyelid
3. bottle jaw, edema under the jaw

External parasites - Biting and sucking lice

1. can cause anemia or blood loss along with blood proteins
2. part the hair and observe little brown dots with white/cream ends
   Treatment
   1. Cylence® - pyrethroid Extra label usage
   2. Seven Dust® - carbaryl Extra label usage
   3. sprinkle over back
   4. CO-RAL® powder Extra label usage
   5. Cydectin® pour-on cattle dewormer Extra label usage
   6. Along with topical treatment, injectable treatment with an avermectin may be helpful.
      Ivomec or Dectomax Extra label usage

b) Caseous Lymphadenitis

Caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Survives in dark, damp areas, soil, and manure for extended periods of time.
1. Clinical signs:
   1. Enlarged lymph nodes especially in the throat latch area
   2. Internal abscess, lungs and associated lymph nodes, lymph nodes of the intestinal tract.
   3. May affect the spinal cord and udder causing mastitis.
2. Transmission
   1. contamination of superficial wounds (shearing) or mucous membranes
   2. indirectly through fomites - feeders, grooming equipment, and bedding
   3. inhalation or ingestion
3. Diagnosis
   1. culture
   2. appearance of thick green pus
   3. serology/blood test
4. Treatment
   1. lance abscess and pack with iodine gauze
      contaminates the environment - keep isolated
   2. long term penicillin, 30 days rarely successful
   3. cull
5. Prevention
   1. hygiene, disinfect equipment (trimmers)
   2. cull infected animals.
   3. don't buy infected animals.
   4. blood test, cull positive animals - consult veterinarian
   5. vaccination - using sheep vaccine may cause adverse reactions in goats if the goats are already infected. Best to vaccinate at 2 - 3 months of age and then yearly

c) Johne's Disease

Caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis
survives in soil and manure for years



1. Clinical signs:
   1. chronic weight loss in spite of a good appetite
   2. diarrhea may occur in animals but is generally not seen as it is in cattle
   3. weight loss is noted (brought on) after a time of stress, kidding or breeding
   4. rough hair coat
   5. animals are usually older than 1 year of age.
2. Transmission
   1. fecal oral, consumed in feed or off pasture
   2. kids are most susceptible to infection
   3. can be acquired through milk or colostrum
   4. can be acquired in utero
3. Diagnosis
   1. serology/blood test
   2. biopsy of intestinal lymph nodes
4. Treatment
   1. none
   2. cull
5. Prevention
   1. hygiene, keep waterers and feeders clean
   2. cull infected animals and off spring of affected animals
   3. don't buy infected animals
   4. blood test, cull positive animals - consult veterinarian
   5. raise kids separated from adults
   6. use colostrum from negative or disease free animals

Chronic Pulmonary Disease - Lungers

Chronic pulmonary or lung disease can be caused by a variety of infectious agents.
Depending on the agent, clinical signs may vary.

Clinical signs:

1. may or may not have a temperature, may go and come
2. persistent cough
3. noticeable movement of the chest with effort to expel breath, little grunt
4. slightly depressed and poor appetite or intermittent anorexia
5. exercise brings on clinical signs

Causes:

• Lung worms
  1. Diagnose by fecal exam
  2. treatment of animals with severe signs is unrewarding
• Mycoplasma mycoides
  Treatment
  1. Long acting tetracycline Extralabel usage
     -- these infections can be very difficult to treat
• Pastuerella hemolytica or Mannheimia hemolytica
  Treatment
  1. Naxcel®
  2. Nuflor® Extralabel usage
  3. adjunct treatment
  4. Vit C/100 lbs Extralabel usage
  5. BoSe/100 lbs, may not want to use in pregnant goats as may produce an allergic type reaction. Extralabel usage
• Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis Virus

Lamenesses

1. Degenerative Joint Disease

Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis

Caused by CAE Virus - retrovirus, similar to AIDS virus

1. Clinical signs:
   1. chronic weight loss
   2. swollen joints, especially the knees (carpus) usually a year of age or older
   3. may have swelling just behind the poll
   4. contracted tendons
   5. rough hair coat
   6. lung problems

      Note* Many animals may be affected but do not show clinical signs. Most infections are acquired around birth but clinical signs do not develop for years.

2. Transmission
   1. exposure to body fluids - milk, saliva, nasal secretions
   2. kids are most susceptible to infection
   3. can be acquired through milk or colostrum
   4. can be acquired in utero
   5. can be transmitted by blood

3. Diagnosis
   1. serology/blood test

4. Treatment
   1. none
   2. cull

5. Prevention
   1. Pasteurize colostrum and milk (heat milk to 134F for 30 minutes
   2. cull infected animals and off spring of affected animals
   3. don't buy infected animals
   4. blood test, cull positive animals - consult veterinarian
   5. raise kids separated from adults
   6. use colostrum from negative or disease free animals, colostrum substitute - Lifeline®

Mycoplasma arthritis

1. Mycoplasma mycoides
2. Clinical signs - similar to CAE
3. Transmission
   1. acquired through infected milk and colostrum
   2. kids develop a joint infection but recover but some damage has been done to the joint surfaces which takes some time before noticeable arthritis occurs.
4. Diagnosis - difficult
5. Treatment
   1. antiinflammatory drugs - Aspirin
   2. Adequan® Extralabel

Foot rot

1. Caused by 2 bacteria
   1. Bacteroides nodosus (Dichelobacter nodosus)
   2. Fusobacterium necrophorum
2. Clinical signs:
   1. under run hoofwall separated from the hoof
   2. swollen joint above hoof is common in severe cases
   3. necrotic smell, black tarry dirt in the overgrown hoof
3. Transmission
   1. organisms picked up from the soil
   2. spread via hoof trimmers
4. Diagnosis
   1. clinical signs
5. Treatment
   1. trim feet, remove all separated hoof wall
   2. soak feet in 10% sodium sulfate foot bath
   3. Long acting tetracycline or Penicillin
   4. Vaccinate
6. Prevention
   1. keep feet trimmed
   2. keep out of wet damp environments
   3. vaccinate

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