SHEEP AND GOAT HEALTH
Frank Craddock
Sheep and Goat Specialist
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
San Angelo, Texas
PHYSIOLOGIC PARAMETERS
OF SHEEP AND GOATS
PARAMETER SHEEP GOAT
Rectal temperature 102 degrees F 102-104 degrees F
Ruminations 2/minute 1-2/minute
Pulse 70-80 beats/minute 70-90 beats/minute
Respiration 12-20 breaths/minute 15-30 breaths/minute
Puberty 5-12 months 4-12 months
Estrus 36 hours 12-24 hours
Estrous cycle 16-17 days 18-23 days
Gestation 147 days 150 days
OBSERVATION
SIGNS OF A SICK ANIMAL
Develop a preventative health program
Will not eat as quickly
May not clean up feed
Check manure diarrhea changed feed too
quickly, consumed too much high energy feed,
may have internal parasites
OBSERVATION
SIGNS OF A SICK ANIMAL
Head hanging down
Dull appearing eyes
Walk abnormally
Treat sick animals immediately
ILLEGAL DRUGS
State and federal laws and regulations
concerning the use of drugs for livestock are
established to protect human and animal
health
Instructions and restrictions on product labels
must be strictly followed
ILLEGAL DRUGS
(cont)
Labels state:
Species or class of livestock for which drug is to be used
Recommended route of administration
Approved dosage rate
Specific conditions to be treated
Withdrawal times
ILLEGAL DRUGS
(cont)
The use of a drug in a manner other than
stated on its label is regulated by the FDA and
may be done only under the control of a
licensed veterinarian
Most Texas livestock shows have strict policies
against the illegal use of drugs and will
disqualify animals if such drugs have been
used
LAMB DISEASES
ENTEROTOXEMIA
Enterotoxemia (overeating disease) main cause of death in club
lambs
Symptoms seldom exhibited
Caused by clostridial organism that is normally present in intestines
of most sheep
Abrupt change in feeding schedule or consume large amounts of
grain
Causes organism to release toxin that causes death in a few hours
Vaccinate, booster 2 to 3 weeks later
LAMB DISEASES
TETANUS
No satisfactory treatment, lambs seldom
recover
Common with use of elastrator bands to dock
tails
There are combination vaccines for tetanus
and enterotoxemia
LAMB DISEASES
INTERNAL PARASITES
Drench new lambs immediately
Second drenching should follow about 3
weeks later
LAMB DISEASES
SOREMOUTH
Contagious disease that causes scabs on lips and
around mouth
Causes by a virus that can affect humans
Iodine rubbed on lesions after scabs are removed
will help dry up area and reduce infection.
There is a live-virus vaccine that will help prevent
soremouth
LAMB DISEASES
POLYARTHRITIS STIFF LAMB DISEASE
Affects 3 week to 5 month old lambs
Inactive, reluctant to rise or move, lose weight or
gain weight slowly
Move with stiff gait but seem to warm out of it
after a few minutes
Treatment tetracycline antibiotics
LAMB DISEASES
COCCIDIOSIS
Causes weight loss
Bloody diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and
weakness
Separate and give individual treatment as
prescribed by veterinarian
Most show goat rations are medicated with a
coccidiostat
LAMB DISEASES
URINARY CALCULI
Metabolic disease of male goats characterized by formation of
stones in urinary tract
Cannot pee, restless, kick at belly, stretch, and attempt to urinate
Cause rations with high phosphorus levels and an imbalance of
calcium and phosphorus
Provide 2:1 calcium:phosphorus ratio in ration and add 10-15 lb
ammonium chloride per ton of feed
Provide plenty of clean, fresh drinking water
LAMB DISEASES
RECTAL PROLAPSE
Inherited
Associated with concentrate feeding, short
docking of tail, or excessive coughing induced
by dusty conditions
Treat by veterinarian
LAMB DISEASES
RINGWORM
Contagious
Transmitted from lamb to lamb, from lamb to human, or from
infected equipment to lamb
Use good prevention program
The following products have been used
Fulvicin powder bolus or top dress feed
Novasan 3 oz/gallon water sprayed on lambs, equipment
and premises
Bleach 10% solution sprayed on lambs, equipment, and
premises
LAMB HEALTH
TAIL DOCKING
Many commercial lambs have long tails and
need to be re-docked
Re-dock as early as possible to allow time to
heal
Can be done by yourself or a veterinarian
LAMB HEALTH
HOOF TRIMMING
Trim hooves every 4-6 weeks
Always trim hooves 1-2 weeks before a show
in case you accidently cut into the quick and
temporarily cripple the lamb
EWE DISEASES
Enterotoxemia
Internal parasites
Soremouth
Mastitis
Pregnancy toxemia
Caseous lymphadenitis
Copper poisoning
EWE/DOE ABORTION DISEASES
Bluetongue anytime
Border Disease (Harry Shaker) anytime
Brucellosis (Brucella melitensis or B. ovis)
last trimester
Q-fever (Coxiella burnetii) last few weeks
EWE/DOE ABORTION DISEASES
Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (Chlamydia psittaci) 4th or
5th month
Vibriosis (Campylobacter fetus & jejuni) last 6 weeks
Leptospirosis (Leptospira interrogans) second half
Listerosis (Listeria monocytogenes) anytime
Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) - anytime
EWE/DOE ABORTION DISEASES
Send in fetus and/or placenta for
histopathology, pathology, or necropsy for
potential isolation of organism
RAM/BUCK DISEASES
Epididymitis
Breeding Soundness Examination
Examination mouth, feet and legs, body
condition score, genitalia
Palpation scrotal size and consistency
Semen exam motility, morphology
GOAT DISEASES
Enterotoxemia
Internal parasites
Urinary calculi
Coccidiosis
Soremouth
Ringworm
Tetanus
Hoof trimming
GOAT DISEASES
CAPRINE ARTHRITIS &ENCEPHALITIS
Infectious disease found in dairy goats
Transmission mainly through milk and colostrum
of infected mother to nursing kid
Two forms arthritis in adult goats and
neurological form in 2-6 month old kids (rear leg
paralysis)
No treatment, cull all infected goats
GOAT DISEASES
CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS
Contagious disease, formation of abscesses in
lymph nodes
Treat abscesses
Cull infected goats
Vaccinate with a commercial vaccine
GOAT DISEASES
ENTROPION
Inversion of upper, lower, or both eyelids
Lid may be sutured, stapled, or inverted with a
bolus of penicillin
Very hereditary, do not keep for replacement
GOAT DISEASES
PINKEYE
Contagious disease excessive watering of eye
and clouding over of pupil
Very susceptible after transport to new location
Dry, dusty pens and constant exposure to sunlight
are contributing factors
Most goats recover without any treatment
GOAT DISEASES
POLIOENCEPHALOMALACIA
Caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency
Thiamine produced by rumen microflora
Depressed, star gaze, act blind, and progress to
convulsions
Treat with thiamine hydrochloride at a dose of 5
mg/lb of body weight every 6-8 hr until
symptoms subside
GOAT DISEASES
PREGNANCY TOXEMIA
Occurs in overfat, confined goats carrying twins or triplets
Energy deficient, uses own fat reserves, ketones are
produced
Symptoms swelling of legs, loss of muscle over loin, loss
of appetite
Separate and feed ad lib a high energy, high protein feed
If no response treat with liquid energy supplements such as
propylene glycol
GOAT DISEASES
FLOPPY KID SYNDROME
3-10 day old kids show depression, weakness,
and paralysis without signs of diarrhea and
have normal rectal temperature
Kids have metabolic acidosis
Treatment teaspoon baking soda for a 10
pound kid, mix baking soda with water and
administer by stomach tube
GOAT DISEASES
EXTERNAL PARASITES (LICE)
Both biting and sucking
Many sprays and pour-ons are effective in
controlling lice
Treat twice, 10-14 days apart
GOAT HEALTH
DEHORNING / TIPPING
Some shows require that goats be dehorned
Dehorn goats at 14 to 28 days of age
The larger the goat the more stressful
Some shows request that the goat horns be tipped
Tip horns 4-6 weeks prior to show to allow proper
healing
