When might you need to look at a goat’s teeth to estimate its age? Perhaps when selecting breeding stock, slaughter animals, or individuals to cull. It’s a good idea to look at an animal’s teeth before purchase to make sure you are buying the age of animal you want. Teeth should also be monitored regularly to check for treatable problems and make culling decisions based on age and soundness.
All goats only have incisors on their lower jaw; these are …
Although most often reported as a problem in Australian sheep, enzootic ataxia has been reported in goats in the United States. First, two definitions: enzootic means an animal disease or condition common in a certain area; and ataxia means incoordination due to a disorder of the nervous system.
Enzootic ataxia is caused by copper deficiency and can manifest itself in two ways in kids. The congenital form (present at birth) is called swayback. These kids may be unable to rise …
Botulism is a rare and strange disease. Occasional cases can be seen in individual animals or as a herd outbreak due to contaminated feed or water. A herd outbreak in goats was reported in South America secondary to a diet too low in phosphorus – the goats started chewing bones of dead animals to meet their mineral needs, but meat on the bones was contaminated with the botulism toxin.
Botulism is caused by toxin(s) produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum…
