UT Goat Seminar Notes

02/24/2007

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• Parasites - Dr. Sharon Patton

• Vaccinations - Jerry Roberson

• Ask the Experts lab

• Lameness in Small Ruminants - Dr. Sarel van Amstel

• Forage and Feeds - Warren Gill, Animal Science Professor

Parasites

Why are goats so susceptible to worms?  They never had to develop immunity to parasites.  Goats normally avoid worm infested grasses, and were in arid and mountain regions where it wasn't an issue.

Trichostrongylid Nematodes

Life Cycle:

Arrested Development Inside the Goat:

Migrate up 1-4" on grass and never further than 12" from feces. 

HAEMONCHUS - BARBER POLES - these are the killer worms. 

Voracious blood sucker; very fecund, a single female can produce > 5000 eggs per day; goats acquire little or no immunity; thrives in hot-humid summer weather; resistant to most drugs.  The eggs hatch above 50 degrees, mostly between 80-90 degrees.  They survive 30-90 days in hot weather. 

CLINICAL SIGNS of Haemonchosis - Diarrhea is RARE, the fecals can be negative if it's immature eggs sucking, immature worms are voracious blood suckers, bottle jaw, anemia.

Internal parasite numbers:

If you are going to 'rest' your pasture to rid it of worms, it needs to rest for 6 months. www.scsrpc.org

There use to be a new drug class every 10 years for wormers, but there hasn't been a new one since 1981;  Say you give Ivermectin to your whole herd.  The superworms (resistant to the wormer) are left behind.  Resistance is by class.

What is resistance? < 95% reduction in fecal egg counts.

Deworming 3 or more times a year is too frequent.  Treating and moving the goats to a clean pasture selects the resistant worms.  If the wormer doesn't 100% clean out the goats, the new pasture is only hit with the superworms.  So move to a new pasture, deworm, move back after a couple of days.  Do not underdose.  Do not treat the whole herd regardless of need.

So what do we do?

Integrated Management - Pasture management, Smart drenching, Preserve anthelmintic efficacy as long as possible.

Deworm does 1-2 weeks before kidding with something that works for your herd.  It is also okay to worm at birth.  Treat them in the summer.  Otherwise, monitor with FAMACHA and fecals and worm only those that need it.  20-30% of the animals have most of the worms.

Withhold feed 12-24 hours before deworming with benzimidazoles, ivermectins, and moxidectins.  Benzimidazoles efficacy enhanced when second dose given in 12 hours.  Dr. Kaplan from UT suggests worming all new goats to your farm with 3 classes of wormers.  At the least, worm with 2 classes.  Don't rotate classes more than once a year.  You can use the copper wire on barber poles, but they may get toxic from the copper.  Quarantine new stock 10 - 14 days.  Best if isolate for 4 weeks!

Fecals - can keep berries in the frig for several days in a baggie.  Do an egg count before the deworm, deworm, then 7-10 days later do another fecal and compare the results (on same goats).  If you didn't do your first count before the deworm, wait a month then start.  << For horses, wait 10-14 days for the second fecal. >>  If you wait 14 days for the second fecal in a goat, they could be reinfested.  Be sure to check every goat. 

Applications of Fecals - Identify wormy goats, detect wormer resistance, monitor continued efficacy of dewormers, identifying genetically resistant goats, predecting hazardous reinfection from contaminated pastures.

Formula for calculating fecal egg count reduction - ((Pre-EPG minus Post-EPG) / Pre-EPG) * 100.  EPG is Eggs per gram.

Identifying resistant goats within a herd - evaluate at about 8 months of age) pastured goats not dewormed for 6 weeks prior), compare fecal egg counts of entire group, goats with the lowest egg counts are likely to be more resistant to worms.

Closely monitor the herd at times they are more susceptible: when in arrested development, when environment temperatures and moisture conditions favor parasite survival and transmission (does before kidding, does after kidding, young goats especially those that have been recently weaned).

Avoid overcrowding, rotational grazing pasture must rest 6 months, take a cutting of hay from the pasture, do mixed grazing, when you have a "safe" pasture, use that pasture for animals that are least resistant (usually kids).  Pastures which contain forages with a high tannin content such as lespedeza have tentatively been shown to decrease the parasite burden of the herd.  Be careful of information that is not based on scientific studies.  Rotate chemical class of dewormer no more often than once a year.

Parasite Lab - <<will add soon>>

Vaccinations

When you give a vaccine, you are giving a disease agent, giving immunity to a more serious form of the disease.  No vaccine prevents 100% of the time, there is some risk, and no one scheme works for every farm.

CD - This is an unforgiving disease.  Usually not an issue with older goats, but a big concern in babies.  There's not a good success rate when they get it (bloody scours and quick).  When the mom is given CD&T 3-4 weeks prior to kidding, the titer in mom carries over in the colostrum to the kid.  This helps to narrow the window of susceptibility in kids.  Then vaccinate the kids at 4-6 weeks and another booster 4-6 weeks later. 

Tetanus - This is an easily preventative disease.  You can get it in the CD&T vaccine.  When the status of vaccinating is unknown, use the antitoxin to treat when banding or dehorning.  You can give the toxin at the same time, in the other end of the body.  Always vaccinate new animals. 

Covexin 8 is not critical since the other diseases are not that common.

Orf/Soremouth - If it's not on your farm, don't introducee it by vaccinating.  Quarantine new animals for at least a month to prevent bringing it in.  If this gets on the mom's udder, kids can end up starving.

CL - it's the inside lumps that kill the goats.  Can get autogenous vaccine or use Case-Bac.

Anthrax - if you find an animal with a very bloody nose and dead, don't go near it.  This is the major sign of anthrax.

Bluetongue - very rare.  Tongue is actually blue.

CONCLUSION - Vaccinate with CD&T in every herd.  Others if your individual herd needs it.

Ask the Experts Lab

One of the young doctors made a farm call that morning for a doe having trouble kidding.  Last year, the kids were dead by the time he got out there.  This year, he did a c-section and got 2 kids!  A kid was stuck in the birth canal.  Either the cervix was not dilating or it was ringwomb.

Question: How do you know you are waiting too long?  Answer: Three stages of birth.  1st - will get up and down, belly contracting, uncomfortable.  You know it's close.  2nd -  Water will break.  If no progression after 30-60 minutes, go in or call the vet.  For sheep, this is 15-20 minutes, cattle 1-1.5 hours.  3rd - Dispel the placenta.  Could be up to 12 hours.

Statement: Texas A&M getting ready to do a study on Cl in goats.

Question: Kidding in spring, and have trips or quads.  What do you do with the weak one?  Answer:  If you are production, give it to someone to love it.  It needs 10-15% of its body weight in colostrum in the first 12 hours and to stay warm.  Goat milk is the first choice, then goat milk replacer.  Cow milk replacer is not as good.

Question: Doe had trips.  The third one out had only the head out screaming.  How long do you have?  Answer:  Try to pull it out.  You can push it back in, with the smallest set of hands doing it.  It doesn't have to go all the way in.  Get one leg out then the other.  The last kid is usually the smallest.  Use lube, can use hand soap.  Iodine is too strong.  Give pen after for 3-5 days.  Definitely give it if there were any dead kids or if you went in more than once.

Question: Necropsies in TN.  Answer:  State lab in Nashville does them for free.  At UT, if it dies there, it's free.

Question:  Have you used Cider Vinegar for UC?  Answer:  Never heard of that.  Afraid that would mess up the rumen.

Scenario: First kid comes out okay, next 2 come out but the sack doesn't bust, even with hitting the ground.  They've had several that way.  Answer:  Mineral deficiency.  They aren't feeding fescue.  In cattle, fescue causes premature placentas to detach from mom, getting no nutrients.

Question: Selenium deficiencies?  Answer:  Haven't found many cases of it in the clinic.  If a kid is deficient, can't control their temperature.  They can get too much selenium.

Scenario: Doe had twin kids with no problems.  Next day left out of town, came back and something was wrong.  Doe laid down and there was a third kid, a buckling that was too big.  The kid was still alive.

Scenario: Kids die at 24 and 48 hours almost exactly.  Answer:  First timers may have colostrum, but it may not be good.  Kids are getting what mom's have, but it's not enough.  Suspect nutrition more than disease; maybe chill.

Uterine ruptures can happen when big babies kick.  It makes a little hole and then tears open.

Ring womb - can take a capsule(s) of primrose oil and rub it on the cervix to help it eface.  Health food stores have it.  Can also use it in cattle/horses.  Vet said use a 100mg pill.  Takes 4-6 hours to work. 

Question: CD&T sterile absesses?  Answer: If you get a little in the dermis or muscle, some swelling.  If it's truly SQ, not much swelling.

Texas A&M and UC Davis do DNA testing.

Lameness in Small Ruminants

Most lameness is in the foot.  Nutrition is important against overgrowth or abnormal growth.  Hoof cleaning/trimming is important against infection.

Trimming: 1st cut - Cut toe at angle to sole depth.  2nd cut - Remove abaxial wall to level of sole.  Trim should be made to parallel coronary band.  3rd cut - Axial wall cut to level of the sole.  Do not cut heel unless overgrown.

Treating pain: aspirin on its own doesn't do much.  Bute - can use the equine paste once a day.  Don't use if they are going to the food chain.  He's had goats on it for 3 months with no problem.  Banamine - has had them on this for weeks.  All can cause gastric ulcers and renal problems.

For pet goats, there are many treatments (harnesses, medications, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture). 

If they rupture their achiles tendon, confine them and it can heal back.

Interdigital dermatitis - F necrophorum can survive months in a feccal contaminated, muddy environment.  Control - environment, foot baths weekly with 10% zinc sulfate.  Iodine in individual cases.  Systemic Penicillin in severely affected animals.

<<  There was alot of information in this presentation.  I will try to get a link to it. >>

Red ring around the band of the hoof is probably blue tongue.

Forage and Feeds

Percentage of intake:

When your goat is eating...if the head is down, it's getting parasites, if it's head is up, that's a good thing.

Goats don't digest poor quality hay as well as cattle.  Goats eat 3-4% of their body weight a day, while cattle eats 2-3%.  Goats try to eat leaves, not the stems.  Goats are picky and their mouth is designed for it, so they can pick out the grain they want from your mix.

Forage - get legumes.  Put out clover in February when you can do it without drilling.  White clover and sericea lespedeza is good.  Do not put out red clover if you have horses.  The lespedeza gets woody and grows tall.  Cattle and horses don't like it since it has leaves.  And it's really too high in tannin for horses. 

Weed Management - Kill buttercups when there's 3 60 degree days in a row.

Hay Management - If there's green grass on rolled hay, it was harvested too late; the seeds were mature and the outer level turns to dirt.  This type of hay is okay for cattle.  You end up losing 20% from the grass and 20% from soil contact.  Set it on pallets, gravel, or really large truck tires.

Minerals - There is too much sulfur in Tennessee's air.  This ties up the copper and blocks the selenium adsorption.  Too much copper causes liver damage and by the time you see symptoms (dark urine), there is already tissue damage.  Minerals should be loose; incorporated with the feed.  Blocks can break the teeth and the animals can't get enough.  Sheep and goat combined mineral is for sheep, not goats (not enough copper).  Goats need .5 oz. a day and cattle 4 oz. a day.  If you see problems, you'll need to know how much they are eating a day.  If there's a copper deficiency, they will lose some luster in the coat, there will be more sickness than you can explain, and the kids will scour.  UT forage testing is $10, mineral testing is $20.

Vitamins - B when they are sick.  These are synthesized by the rumen.  A, D, E are not synthesized by the rumen.  E is for Selenium absorption.  It is an antioxidant (holds oxidation under control).

Deccox - 13.6g/ton - possibly not toxic to horses.

Monensin - 20.0g/ton

Rumatel - .44g/100

Does in late gestation (need to build up copper for kids), bucks - good quality hay.

Thin does, lactating does, kids - good hay and some supplements.

Lactating does, kids - lower quality hay (grass with 8-9% protein), have to have supplements.

Evaluating Hay - book "Southern Forages" has a judging card.  If it has blossoms/blooms, it was harvested late.  If it's orchard grass with a lot of seeds, it's not good.  Leafiness and color are big factors.  Bermuda always has brown in it.  Open up alfalfa to look in it.