Health & Management Resources
RICHARD & SANDY'S BOER GOAT FARM
Quality coming & going
We test regularly. All our animals have tested negative for CL, CAE and Johne's.
Parasites and Parasite Control Information
Update on Parasite Control in Small Ruminants 2006, Addressing the Challenges Posed by Multiple-Drug Resistant Worms, Ray M. Kaplan, DVM, Phd
Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602: http://www.scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/Files/Files/AABP%202006%20SR%20proceedings.pdf
Pictures of parasites from A Pacapacas Farm, Rick and Terry Simpson, HC 79 Box 52-#, Romney, WV 26757: http://www.apacapacas.com/parasites/
Fias Co Farm, General parasite information and an excellent reference for goat information in general: http://fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm
Langston University Diagnosis of Internal Parasitism in Goats: http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/fec0.html
Langston University Diagnosis of Internal Parasitism in Goats: http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/fec.html
Description and Life Cycles of Some Parasites That Infect Goats, by Karin Christensen: http://personal.linkline.com/karinc/goat/parasites.html
The Grinning Goat, Caprine Management & Health Articles, Fecal Testing: http://www.thegrinninggoat.com/fecaltesting.shtml
Parasite Life Cycles (animations explaining the life cycles of common parasites): http://www.goatbiology.com/animations/parasites.html
Parasite Control Fecal Testing
Richard & Sandy's Boer Goat Farm Procedure
We are not vets, and we are not experts. This method has worked well for us.
Always have your results confirmed by your vet. We believe a close working relationship with your vet is the secret to a healthy herd.
The reference book we have found to be most useful for parasite identification is Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual by William J. Foreyt; Wiley-Blackwell, 2001.
1.
Place about 2 gm of fecal sample (about 1 adult or 3-4 kid pellets) in a small container.
Place about 2 gm of fecal sample (about 1 adult or 3-4 kid pellets) in a small container.2.Add about 10 cc of water and stir well with a disposable stick. Mash the fecal material until it is completely broken apart.
Add about 10 cc of water and stir well with a disposable stick. Mash the fecal material until it is completely broken apart.3.Pour the mixture through a very fine strainer (tea strainer). Gently press the remaining material with the stick until it is nearly dry and discard the remaining dry matter.
Pour the mixture through a very fine strainer (tea strainer). Gently press the remaining material with the stick until it is nearly dry and discard the remaining dry matter.4.Pour the strained solution into a test tube and let it sit for ½ hour. In water, the parasite eggs will sink.
Pour the strained solution into a test tube and let it sit for ½ hour. In water, the parasite eggs will sink.5.Pour off the top 2/3 of the water solution. The partially solid material at the bottom of the tube should remain in the tube.
Pour off the top 2/3 of the water solution. The partially solid material at the bottom of the tube should remain in the tube. 6.Pour the remaining material and liquid from the test tube into a clean small container.
Pour the remaining material and liquid from the test tube into a clean small container.7.Add about ¾ of a test tube of flotation material (enough so that when the two are mixed it will fill the test tube).
Add about ¾ of a test tube of flotation material (enough so that when the two are mixed it will fill the test tube). We use Sheather's Sugar Flotation Solution Specific Gravity 1.27)8.Pour the combined solution into the test tube.
Pour the combined solution into the test tube.9.Add solution to fill the tube with an eye dropper if necessary
Add solution to fill the tube with an eye dropper if necessary10. Cover with slip, applying slip to tube at slight angle to remove air bubbles.
11. Let stand for about 2 hours
12. Put slip on a slide and view
General Information
Washington State University, Central Washington Animal Agriculture Team Extension (including the Kidding Pen publication): http://www.animalag.wsu.edu/newsletters/index.html
Ethnic Holidays & Marketing Dates for Goat Sales: http://www.sheepgoatmarketing.info/PageLoad.cfm?page=education/ethnicholidays.htm
Ethnic Holidays Interfaith Calendar Definition of Terms: http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm
Langston University Goat Research Web-based Training and Certification Program for Meat Goat Producers: http://www.luresext.edu/goats/training/qa.html
Meat Goat Carcass Evaluation & Association Breed Standards (evaluate your goat)
Meat Goat Selection, Carcass Evaluation & Fabrication Guide, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center; http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/B8FE3706-64DC-417F-A592-B8DEC14B4D9F/43291/pub2951MeatGoatJanuary2008HIGHRES.pdf
Meat Goat Grades, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service: http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/mktnews/goatgrades02.pdf
American Boer Goat Association Breed Standards: http://www.abga.org/page.php?pageid=8
Canadian Meat Goat Association Standards: http://canadianmeatgoat.com/index.php/site/standards
International Boer Goat Association Breed Standards: http://www.intlboergoat.org/breedstandards.php
United States Boer Goat Association Breed Standards (beginning on page 18): http://www.usbga.org/forms/USBGA_JUDGES_GUIDE_BOOK.pdf
Blood Drawing and Injections - links to show you how
Drawing Blood is Child's Play tutorial: http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=64
How to Draw Blood and Blood Test your Goats: http://www.boergoatshome.com/Blood_testing.php
Drawing Blood - Photo Tutorial: http://u-sayranch.com/main/2010/01/drawing-blood-photo-tutorial/
Injection and Medical information from Jack and Anita Mauldin's Boer Goats: http://www.jackmauldin.com/health/medication.htm
Injections made easy from Tennessee Meat Goats: http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/injections.html
Gestation Table for Goats (150 DAY GESTATION)
To determine the birth date, pick the month the doe was bred in the first column, go to the second column and deduct the amount of days in parenthesis from the due date month to determine the due date. The general gestation time for goats is between 149 and 155 days.
MONTH BRED DUE DATE MONTH EARLIEST MARKET AGE (3 MONTHS)JANUARY JUNE (-1 day) SEPTEMBERFEBRUARYJULY (-0 days) OCTOBERMARCH AUGUST (-3 days) NOVEMBERAPRIL SEPTEMBER (-3 days) DECEMBERMAY OCTOBER (-3 days) JANUARYJUNE NOVEMBER (-3 days) FEBRUARYJULY DECEMBER (-3 days) MARCHAUGUST JANUARY (-3 days) APRILSEPTEMBER FEBRUARY (-3 days) MAYOCTOBER MARCH (-1 day) JUNENOVEMBER APRIL (-1 day) JULYDECEMBER MAY (-1 day) AUGUSTTesting Facilities and Information links
DNA Samples, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA: http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/forms/Goat_ID_Form.pdf
DNA, Freemartin, Karyotyping information, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA: http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/goat.php
Blood Test form that we use for CAE, CL & Johne's; Identification Sheet for Multiple Animals, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_WADDL/forms/IdentificationSheetMutipleAnimalsWADDL-014.pdf
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab information for blood testing: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_WADDL/
Pregnancy Testing, BioTracking: http://www.biotracking.com/goats
Disbudding
We seldom disbud our wethers, and we strongly support the movement to allow meat animals to be shown at 4-H and FFA fairs without being disbudded. These are meat animals, and we do not see the need to disbud them. However, if you do not agree, or if you are required by your county to disbud animals for your fair, here are some links to show you how.
Fias Co Farm Disbudding photo series: http://fiascofarm.com/galleries/Goat_Care_and_Information/Disbudding-Rudy/index.html
Disbudding Dair Goats - Alpine Dairy Goats: http://www.missouridairygoats.com/disbudding.htm
Testing - Why We Do CL, CAE & Johne's Testing
Krystal Clemmons from Summitview Boers in Cowichee, Washington has put together an exceptional page on these issues. We will simply refer you to her site: http://summitviewboers.homestead.com/CAEclJOHNEs.html
Johne's information Center: http://www.johnes.org/goats/faqs.html
Hoof Trimming
Hoof Trimming, Gorge-Us Boer Goats: http://www.gorge-usboergoats.com/hoof_trimming.htm
Hoof Trimming, Goat Wisdom (including a video - we don't use this method, but it works for them and might work for you): http://www.goatwisdom.com/ch2feet/feet.html
How to Trim Goat Hooves the Right Way, Boer Goats Home: http://www.boergoatshome.com/hooves.php
Hoof Trimming Procedure from Triple Boer Goats: http://www.tripleeboergoats.com/Hoof%20Trimming.html
Biosecurity Information
Biosecurity for Meat Goat Producers by Dr. Bruce Olcott, Louisiana State University: http://www.luresext.edu/GOATS/library/field/olcott07a.pdf
Biosecurity on Sheep Farms (sorry, some things still start with sheep): http://www.sheep101.info/201/biosecurity.html
Transporting Animals
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/impe.shtml
Canadian Requirements for Importing: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/ca_ov_cp_br.pdf
Biosecurity at Richard and Sandy's Boer Goat Farm
We ask that all visitors wear clean clothes and shoes when visiting our farm. Please change your clothes and shoes after leaving your barn, field or other animal containment areas, and sanatize your shoes before your visit.
Visitors are not allowed in the paddock, loafing or stall areas, especially if those areas are occupied by our goats.
Visitors are allowed to view our goats from outside the fenced areas and in the cement areas of the barns except the stalls.
If a group is visiting our farm, we will typically offer a boot bath for anyone entering the cement area of the barn.
Plastic boots and gloves are provided for visitors.
Animals are typically quarantined when they arrive at our farm.
Animals are not allowed to co-mingle with our herd, visit our farm or ride in our trailer unless there is proof of negative test results for CAE, CL and Johne's.
When arriving at a show, we prefer to sanitize the stalls.
Click the following links to move to the requested topic:
American Boer Goat Association: http://www.abga.org/
Canadian Meat Goat Association: http://www.canadianmeatgoat.com/
Cascade Boer Goat Association: http://www.cascadebga.org/index.html
Northwest All Breed Goat Club: http://www.northwestgoatclub.com/
Snake River Meat Goat Association: http://www.srmga.com/
United States Boer Goat Association: http://www.usbga.org/
Kidding
I can't remember where I got the following series of kidding issues, but the files are fairly large and have to be opened individually. This is a good series of publications.
Bottle Babies
Tube Feeding
If a kid is born weak and cannot nurse, we tube feed colostrum. Tube feeding can easily save a newborn's life. To make sure the tube is in the esophagus and not the trachea, suck on the tube. The stomach has no air, the lungs do have air. Others listen for breathing sounds and put the end of the tube in water to check for bubbles. Which ever method you choose, the goal is to make sure the tube is in the stomach and not the lungs.
Tube Feeding Weak Kids by Dr. Fred Homeyer http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=39
How to Tube Feed a Kid Goat by Coni Ross http://uvalde.tamu.edu/staff/rick/Goat%20Gathering%20IV/Health/How%20to%20Tube%20Feed%20a%20Kid%20Goat.pdf
Tube Feeding a Weak or Premature Kid with the Save-A-Kid Syringe by Hoegger Goat Supply http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/info/tube_feed.shtml
Q Fever
What we know and more importantly - what we don't know
In early 2011, we had never heard of Q Fever. Then there was a out break of Q Fever in Washington State, and a lot of people were very concerned; including us.
What we now think is that Q Fever is something that we don't want in our herd, just like CL, CAE and Johnes. That being said, we are not going to get terribly excited about it.
Q Fever is everywhere! It has even been found in seals in Alaska and mammals in Florida, and pretty much everywhere in between and extending all around the world.
Could we end up with Q fever? Of course we could. Would we purposely expose our animals to an active case of Q Fever? Of course not.
However, we are not worried about having our animals attend public events with other herds that have experienced Q Fever and dealt with the situation in an ethical and aggressive manner. We expect a farm that has had the misfortune of experiencing Q Fever, or any other transmittable disease, to bring only negative animals to public events,
and we believe any reputable breeder would do the same.
And what about all the herds or individual animals at the event that have not tested?
The only way to know if a herd has been exposed to Q Fever is through extensive testing of every animal;
which in most cases is prohibitively expensive unless a problem has been detected.
We believe that when a breeder experiences an unfortunate set of circumstances, such as experiencing CL, Q Fever or any devastating disease or event, if that breeder does their best to practice excellent herd management and deals with the situation in an ethical manner, they deserve our support. Especially if they use the situation to educate others. We try to remember that it could be us walking in those shoes, and try to treat others as we would like to be treated.
We have tested a portion of our herd and all have been negative.
In the future, if we find that we have encountered Q Fever, we will continue to practice good herdsmanship, enforce normal biosecurity measures and deal with the situation.
The first documented case of Q Fever was in Australia during the 1930's.
There is a vaccine available, but not approved for use in the United States.
"Q fever has been found worldwide, except in New Zealand"
"Sheep, goats and cattle are the most common domestic animal reservoirs. Dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, pigs, camels, buffalo, rodents, pigeons, geese and other fowl may carry C. burnetii. Antibodies to C. burnetii have been found in badgers, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, badgers, jackrabbits, feral pigs, black bears and musk ox. Ticks and wild birds can also harbor this organism." quoted from http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/ah/diseases/qfever.html
Q Fever is rare in the United States. Usually less than 200 people get Q Fever each year. Many do not have direct animal contact or occupational exposure.
Q-fever is not uncommon in livestock and animal testing has limitations; therefore culling of animals based on serologic (blood) testing is not recommended as this will NOT ensure a negative herd. A positive Q-fever blood test does not mean that the animal is actively shedding the bacteria and a negative Q-fever blood test does not mean the animal is not currently shedding the bacteria. Blood tests reflect the level of past exposure at the herd level and should not be used to determine the fate of individual animals. quoted from http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/Diseases/QFeverManagementPractices.pdf
Always talk to your vet if you have concerns about Q Fever. We believe a close working relationship with your vet is the secret to a healthy herd.
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT Q FEVER:
Q Fever in Washington 2011 - Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington State University and Grant County Health District (after reaching the link scroll down the page to Q Fever In North Central Washington, 2011 - Presentation) at http://www.granthealth.org/
Q Fever in Washington, 2011 - Washington State Departments of Agriculture and Health at http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/docs/QFeverPowerPoint.pdf
Q Fever: Frequently Asked Questions from the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/Diseases/Q-Fever.pdf
Best Practices to Control Q Fever from the Washington State Department of Agriculture at http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/Diseases/QFeverManagementPractices.pdf
Meeting the Challenge of Q Fever page 16, Colorado Veterinary Medical Association at http://cvma.affiniscape.com/associations/2956/3voice_2010_FINAL.pdf
Q Fever source detected in Alaska's fur seals at http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/q-fever-source-detected-alaskas-fur-seals
Q Fever Merck Veterinary Manual at http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/52000.htm
Q Fever CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/qfever/index.html
Risk Assessment on Q Fever from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control - Vaccination information page 16 at http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/1005_TER_Risk_Assessment_Qfever.pdf
