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COLLECTION: GOAT HANDBOOK
ORIGIN: United States
DATE INCLUDED: June 1992
Extension Goat Handbook
This material was contributed from
collections at the National Agricultural Library.
However, users should direct all inquires about the
contents to authors or originating agencies.
DOCN 000000062
NO G-8
DISEASES AND THE SHOWRING
C. S. F. Williams; Michigan State U., East Lansing
S. B. Guss; Pennsylvania State U., University Park
Health and Disease Management
1 Taking goats to a show is like taking children to
nursery school; they are at risk to every disease
available. As long as this is understood, the positive
aspects of showing can be balanced against the negative
aspects and a decision can be made to show goats or
choose some other method of promotion.
2 Predisposing Causes of Disease
(Stressors) Protect animals during hauling from exposure
to wind, rain, dust, excessive heat and cold. When
traveling only a short distance to reach a show location,
place compatible animals of a similar size together
and allow enough space so they can help support each
other while the vehicle is in motion. For long hauls,
there should be lots of bedding and enough room to
permit the goats to lie down. Open pick-up trucks,
slatted horse trailers and campers with little ventilation
offer differing but equal opportunities for stress
on show animals.
3 To find out how stressful the ride
is, try riding with the goats. If you are barely able
to crawl out of the truck or trailer afterwards, do
not be surprised if the goats don't show well or ''break''
with some infection following the show.
4 Reducing Stress at Shows Several
factors may make showing less stressful:
1. Arrive at the show well ahead of time.
2. Be sure that a veterinarian has examined all animals
entered and found them healthy.
3. Place animals in a clean, safe pen.
4. Provide plenty of familiar hay.
5. Make sure that animals have plenty of rest and
quiet before they are brought into the show ring.
6. Do not overbag your doe so that her legs have to
swing around her udder. At showtime, an udder should
be filled to about the size and texture it reaches
at peak lactation on twice daily milking.
7. Provide drinkable water - many goats refuse to
drink chlorinated or other ''strange'' water at shows.
Many who show goats bring from home a 10 gallon milkcan
full of water to be sure their animals will drink
enough. Sometimes, strange water can be made acceptable
by adding a quarter cupfull of molasses or a tablespoonful
of baking soda per three gallon bucket.
5 Individual Goat Stress Goats vary
in their ability to withstand the stress of being
on the show circuit. Some goats appear to thrive on
it and eat well, maintain production and manage to
look good most of the time. These animals are very
likely to be some of the most reliable producers at
home as well. The goat that is easily upset on the
show circuit, and needs a lot of individual attention,
will probably not show well, neither will she produce
to her potential in a large herd.
6 In many ways, showing results in
the survival of the fittest. An aged doe, with good
conformation and the constitution, both mental and
physical, to survive the stresses of production and
showing is a truly admirable animal.
7 Diseases These can be divided into
two groups. Firstly, there are those that occur during
or immediately after a show, so there is little or
no doubt as to where the disease came from. Secondly,
there are the diseases which take a long time to develop
and there is no reliable way of telling where they
came from. You only know that goats have been in contact
with goats from other herds and more disease problems
are now present than you think are justified.
8 Acute Diseases The most obvious
epidemic disease in this category is soremouth, a
virus disease capable of infecting humans. Sores and
scabs appear on the gums, lips and nose, and occasionally
around the teats, tail, eyelids and feet. Sheep also
suffer from this disease, and since many goats are
housed in the sheep pens at fairs, it is possible
for goats to acquire the disease by contact with scabs
and virus on the pen walls. Handling of goats by judges
and visitors will also spread the disease. Thorough
examination of goats as they arrive at the show will
not eliminate risk of this disease. A goat may have
no lesions at all, when she arrives, but may be incubating
the disease, and then the sores and scabs will appear
on the lips a few days later. During this time, she
has spread the virus to many other goats.
9 Pink-eye, or conjuctivitis, may
be due to an injury if it only affects one eye of
one goat. If it spreads from goat to goat, then it
is an infectious conjunctivitis. Any pink-eye case
will be aggravated by dust, flies and bright sunlight,
and affected animals should be kept out of the sun
and the wind with easy access to food and water.
10 Respiratory infections are very
common after susceptible animals have been to a show,
and the infection often spreads through the rest of
the animals that did not go to the show, especially
if there was no isolation of the returning goats.
Goats will cough and have a nasal discharge. They
may run a fever, be off-feed, and stand around, in
a depressed state with drooping ears. There is no
one specific infectious organism that causes this.
Very likely there are several agents involved, similar
to the shipping fever situation in cattle. After several
shows and bouts of respiratory infection, most goats
develop some resistance. After that, it is usually
only the newcomers that will be affected. However,
some animals may remain as chronic coughers, and these
often relapse into pneumonia following stresses such
as a sudden change in the weather.
11 If pseudorabies exists in the
local hogs, then goats should not be housed near hogs,
or transported in hog trucks to the fair.
12 Rotavirus infection has been reported
to cause acute shorterm diarrhea in show goats, but
the prevalence of this virus in US goats is not known.
Digestive upsets may occur at the fair, but this is
usually due to erratic feeding schedules and strange
food and water rather than any infectious disease.
Mastitis may occur as a result of injury to the udder
during transport or the stress of overbagging.
13 Long Term Diseases It is highly
unlikely that showing goats will expose them to any
parasites that they did not have already. It is also
highly unlikely that goats will contract tuberculosis
or brucellosis because these diseases are extremely
rare and subject to regulatory action.
14 The issue of abscesses and transmission
via shows is controversial. The disease, caseous lymphadenitis,
is caused by Corynebacterium ovis (pseudotuberculosis).
These bacteria have been shown to be capable of causing
an abscess in a goat, after being placed on the skin.
Therefore, it is prudent to avoid contact with abscessed
goats and sharing of potentially contaminated equipment
such as collars, halters, brushes, clippers, etc.
be tween herds.
15 A goat infected with this organism
is a hazard to other goats. An abscess, regardless
of the stage of development, should be sufficient
to have the goat barred from the show under state
laws prohibiting the exhibition of animals with signs
of contagious or infectious disease.
16 Health Papers Before goats are
shipped or shown in another state, health requirements
for the state of destination should be followed. First,
call the state veterinarian's office in your own state
and ask what tests and documents are required at your
destination. Most states require a Health Certificate
written and signed by an Accredited Veterinarian stating
that the animal(s) and the herd of origin are free
from tuberculosis, brucellosis and any evidence of
infectious or contagious caprine disease. Unfortunately,
many health certificates do not represent a thorough
examination of the animals shipped nor a clear knowledge
that the herd of origin is free of disease. Therefore,
a health certificate does not take the place of careful
veterinary examination of consigned animals immediately
before their entrance to shows and sales. Even so,
the animals could be incubating an acute disease,
they could be incubating a long-term disease like
Johne's, or they could be carriers, yet show no signs;
and the veterinarian is correct in accepting the health
papers and accepting the animal for the show or sale.
It is not safe to presume that goats are healthy,
just because they have health papers.
17 Conclusions The experienced showman
on a summer long circuit knows which goats can withstand
the stresses, and that most of them have developed
an immunity to the acute illnesses anyway. The novice,
with a new show herd of highly susceptible animals
will have far more problems with acute diseases.
DISEASES AND THE SHOWRING
COLLECTION;GOAT HANDBOOK
ORIGIN;United States
DATE_INCLUDED;June 1992
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